But For Fall In Oil Prices, Buhari Would’ve Performed Better – Lai Mohammed

Mohammed stated this at the presentation of the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP), report card event to mark the 2nd anniversary of Buhari’s administration in Abuja.

The presentation was themed ‘Showcasing the Achievements of National Social Investment Programmes: A Smile for Every Nigerian’.

Highlighting the achievements of the current administration, the minister said the federal government provided employment to 200,000 unemployed graduates, engaged 57,000 people through Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and empowered about 26,000 ordinary Nigerians through Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).

In addition, he said the APC-led administration under its National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), was able to serve about 25 million meals to 1.2 million pupils, and employ about 12,000 cooks all over the country.

However, the minister admitted that the current administration would have achieved more if not for the sharp fall in prices of crude oil, which amounts to more than 70 percent of the nation’s revenue.

Having hit a peak of $115 per barrel in June 2014, crude oil revenue fell to under $35 at the end of February 2016.

“This is a government that promised and delivered on its promises and the unique thing about this particular N-SIP is that it has been achieved in an era when there has been no revenue,” he said.

“It would have been a perfect excuse to say that because oil revenue dropped drastically, therefore, we are not able to deliver on our promises.

“But despite the dwindling revenue, we are able to deliver on our campaign promises and then this is not related just to the social investment programmes alone.

“I am happy that we are here today to prove that this government is not a government of propaganda; this is a real government that is dealing with the real people.

“One of the unique selling points of the programmes is the transparency in it, I am happy that many of the beneficiaries have testified to this and this is a new dawn.

“My appeal to all the beneficiaries is to please let them not limit their testimonies to this hall please say it louder and clear at every time to all Nigerians.

“Let Nigerians know how this government has impacted positively on your lives.”

Mohammed said despite the dwindling resources, the Federal Government has been able to add additional $7 billion to its foreign reserves.