Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Yakubu Dogara has felicitated with Nigerians on the nation’s 55th independence anniversary on Thursday, stating that Nigeria was making progress in critical sectors despite many challenges.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, Dogara said though Nigeria was still lagging behind many countries development-wise, he promised that “happy times will be here again.”
“We will plead with our people not to lose hope in their leaders as most nations have passed through similar challenges and emerged stronger. I have strong hope and conviction that Nigeria, will also overcome these challenges. This too, shall pass away and happy times will be here again,” he stressed.
He stated that the All Progressives Congress-led federal government was committed to giving Nigerians hope by restructuring and re-positioning the country on the path of socio-economic development.
“The new APC government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has not left anyone in doubt as to its readiness to restructure, and re-position the country on the path of socio-economic development,” Dogara noted.
Furthermore, the Speaker said that the responsibility of developing the country should not be left for the government alone, as the citizens’ role in making Nigeria great was as important as the government’s.
Dogara said: “While it is the responsibility of government to provide the conducive atmosphere to all citizens to realise their potentials, we all, must work to make Nigeria work again because the era of waste and impunity has gone.
“The new leadership in the country under our great political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, is determined to provide quality leadership and return Nigeria to its rightful place in the comity of nations.”
Similarly, he said that “the 8th House of Representatives will continue to enact people-oriented legislation that would be targeted at solving the current socio-economic and security challenges in line with our legislative agenda.”
“I commend efforts made by the military to recover large swath of territories from the Boko Haram terrorists in the North East region.
“I call on all citizens to support the fight against terrorism so that millions of our people who are internally displaced with some being refugees in other countries will return home and live in peace, freedom and happiness.
“This period calls for sober reflection and Nigerians should not relent in their prayers for the unity and indivisibility of the country,” he noted.