President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) on Thursday said his administration’s goal is to rebuild Nigeria into a competitive, virile, strong and productive economy where the citizens are creative, innovative, responsive, accountable, incorruptible, patriotic and diligent.
Towards this end, he told civil servants, who are in the habit of abandoning their duty posts, to brace up to the new realities of his administration as he will personally hold them collectively and individually responsible for the planning and implementation of the change contemplated by his administration.
Buhari, who spoke at the 2015 National Productivity Day and conferment of National Productivity Order of Merit award, said he has resolved to personally drive the productivity crusade in the country and directed the National Productivity Centre to put in place machinery for him to launch the productivity movement in Nigeria.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh, the president also directed the establishment of productivity and efficiency units in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to drive the change agenda in the public sector.
President Buhari assured that the National Productivity Centre will be encouraged and empowered to ensure the Implementation of this directive as well as to carry out its mandate of ensuring a productive nation.
“We want to rebuild Nigeria into a competitive, virile, strong and productive economy; a state whose citizens are creative, innovative, responsive, accountable, incorruptible, patriotic and diligent.
“Our concern is to build a productivity culture among the citizenry. A culture that will not only think of a measure of production or amount produced but how good the resources had been combined and used to achieve specific designed results.
“In this regard, I shall personally lead the productivity crusade. The National Productivity Centre is hereby directed to put in place a machinery for my formal launching of the productivity movement in Nigeria”, Buhari said.
He equally said that: “I will expect the executive governors to do the same in their respective states. Productivity has to be a way of life for our people”.
The president said that in the planned productivity campaign, he will expect the public service to play a critical role in its implementation and sustenance as the organ of government responsible for policy development and execution.
According to him: “It is my intention to hold the public servants collectively and individually responsible for the planning and implementation of the changes contemplated by this administration.
“From now on, it will no longer be ‘business as usual’. Excellence will be rewarded and mediocrity will not be tolerated”.
He also used the opportunity to press home his administration’s intolerance for corruption and all related offences, saying that he has placed a great deal of premium in reducing corrupt practices through productivity improvement initiatives.
According to him: “As you are all aware, this administration assumed office at a time when morale was at its lowest ebb at all strata of the Nigerian society and the nation was functioning as a rudderless ship.
“There was clear evidence that the system was not working the way it should and the people had even lost confidence and hope in the government, hence the inevitable clamour for the much needed change”.
“To get to the Promised Land as a nation, we must leave no stone unturned in taking the battle to the door step of corruption. Corruption is dangerous and cancerous to the nation and this administration is not prepared to stay in bed with it. We are therefore resolute in our commitment to fight corruption in all its virulent forms in all facets of our national life”, the president added.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate