James Ojo, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has tasked state governments to intensify efforts at instilling improved fiscal transparency and accountability for optimum.
Giving the charge in his message to the 18th National Productivity Day, where 25 individuals and seven organisations were honoured with the National Productivity Order of Merit Award, he urged all Nigerians to collectively fight and expose corruption and the corrupt.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Buhari reminded governors of the extensive damages corruption had done to the country.
“At the heart of inequality and insecurity is pervasive corruption. I urge all Nigerians to collectively resolve to fight and expose corruption and the corrupt. In the same vein, I urge state governments to intensify their own efforts to instil improved fiscal transparency and accountability, as well as promote fiscal efficiency and optimum use of our scarce resources,” he stated.
President Buhari disclosed that his administration inherited a skewed economy where the oil sector contributed 90 per cent foreign earnings over the years and lamented that previous governments did little to drive the economy using the non oil sector. He, however, pointed out that his government had been addressing the imbalance with focus on diversification strategies under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
“This medium term development plan charred the trajectory for our economy to exist from recession and return to the path of sustainable, diversified and inclusive growth for Nigerians. As a result of these reforms, the economy has recovered and we have had nine successive quarters of growth since our exit from recession.”