(http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JTF-routs-55-insurgents-in-Yobe-Borno.jpg) (http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JTF-routs-55-insurgents-in-Yobe-Borno.jpg)President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that the declaration of state of emergency in the northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa on May 14 has ushered significant improvements in national security.
According to Jonathan, the emergency rule has drawn the sympathy and support of ordinary Nigerians in the areas, a situation he the President noted, confirmed the people's discontentment with the hitherto regime of terror and perpetrated by insurgent groups.
Jonathan spoke in his opening remarks at the 14th meeting of the Honorary International Investor Council (HIIC), advisory council to attract global financial players into the Nigerian economy, coordinated by Baroness Lynda Chalker.
He explained that the insurgencies witnessed in the country had nothing to do with religion but activities of internationally backed terror groups determined to destabilize the country.
He said that government was not unmindful of the fact that in order to attract investments and development, government must guarantee safety of lives,
property and investments.
He expressed appreciation to the members of the HIIC for their efforts at attracting business and investments into the country and encourage them to do more,
He said the nation's economy is growing, but he would like to see it improved to an appreciable level of double digit growth.
The President informed the Council that he presented a mid-term report of performance of his administration on May 29 to correct the "lots of misinformation" going on among the people.
He said the presentation had helped to correct the negative projection of the administration particularly through the media.
Earlier, Chalker said that government must take pro-active action to address the problem of oil theft which she said was "diminishing income into the treasury".
She also charged the government to double its drive on the development of infrastructure, roads, rails, power, which she said "are key to solving other problems''.
Giving accounts of impacts of the activities of the HIIC on national development, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga said there was significant increase in foreign direct investment in the conomy.
Specifically, he said the petrochemical sub-sector attracted over 20 billion dollar investments with over 8 billion dollar contribution by the Dangote group.
Aganga said the investments in petro-chemical have encouraged value addition into the oil and gas sector and generate employment.
He said the country will soon launch its auto-programme with a plan by Nissan Automobile to launch an assembly plant in the country.
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