The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday declared that the current administration would not allow Boko Haram
insurgents and militants hold the country to ransom. Osinbajo made the declaration at the 16th National Productivity Day celebration and the conferment of National Productivity Order of Merit Award on some individuals and corporate bodies in Abuja.
He promised that the Federal Government would intensify dialogue with relevant stakeholders in the Niger Delta with a view to addressing the security challenges in the region.
According to Osinbajo, “Boko Haram has been defeated and is only resorting to cowardly attacks on soft targets, killing innocent men, women and children. Despite this, the residents of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, including several neighbouring states are now going about their daily business in relative safety.
“Besides Boko Haram, a new insurgency has arisen in the form of blowing up gas and oil pipelines by groups of Niger Delta Militants. This administration will not allow them to hold the country to ransom. While security is being beefed up in the areas, we shall intensify our ongoing dialogue with the various stakeholders in the region.”
Admitting that the country’s economy was moving at a slow pace, Osinbajo assured Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was committed to the country.
He said, “We are working tirelessly and will continue to do so with hard work, diligence and honesty. Delivery may be a bit slow, but the promised change will come in no distant time.
“Our economy is no doubt currently facing serious challenges. Before now, the economy had been purely monolithic having relied solely on oil as its major source of revenue.
“The dwindling oil prices and the disruption in supply occasioned by the insecurity in the Niger Delta have further made us realize the urgent need for diversification of our economy with emphasis on sectors that will improve employment prospects for our young people.”
