| Be patient with govt,
Adeniran pleads with Nigerians
By VICTOR OGBONNAYA
Thursday, October 7, 2004
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Germany, Professor
Tunde Adeniran has called on Nigerians to exercise patience
with the nation’s leaders in their current efforts to
tackle the complex and diverse nature of Nigeria’s multi-ethnic
society problems and transform the socio-economic and political
structures.
Professor Adeniran who made the appeal in Berlin while addressing
Nigerians on the occasion of Nigeria’s Independence
Day anniversary said "we still are not saying hurray
at last because of the sheer enormity, which the country’s
problems had assumed over the years before the return to democracy
in 1999."
He emphasised the need for Nigerians residing in Germany to
live up to expectation by not under-rating the importance
of their contribution to the development of Nigeria, adding
that, "your contribution should begin with encouragement
of greater cohesion, justice in all aspects of our lives,
democratic principles and uninhibited patriotism."
He added, "we are delighted to also report that the Federal
Government has been steadfast in addressing the various socio-economic
problems facing the country," calling for greater commitment
to the nation’s infrastructural development especially
power generation and supply nationwide to stoke up the industries
and manufacturing sector.
Professor Adeniran noted that the recently launched Federal
Government National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy
(NEEDS) had received international acclaim, urging Nigerians
to help make it a reality especially in the fight against
poverty and under-development in the country.
According to the ambassador, "what makes NEEDS unique
is that, unlike other economic development policies ever designed
by the Federal Government of Nigeria, this one has won the
support of the state governments which have adopted the policy
within the framework of State Economic Empowerment Development
Strategy (SEEDS).
On the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD),
the Nigerian diplomat noted that it was expected to impact
positively on Nigeria’s economic development efforts
especially "from the enlarged capital flow, increased
market access, increased in-flow of foreign investment, rapid
industrialisation and the reversal of the brain-drain, as
well as sustainable development of the environment.
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