Wednesday, December 31, 2014

PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO BROADCAST NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE NATION

PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO BROADCAST NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE NATION

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will deliver a new year's day broadcast to the nation at 07:00 hours tomorrow.

The broadcast will be transmitted on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

Other television and radio stations in the country are advised to link up with NTA and FRCN to relay the broadcast to their viewers and listeners.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 31, 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, DECEMBER 25, 2014
 
Dear Compatriots,
I greet and felicitate with you all once again as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I join all of our Christian compatriots in giving thanks to God Almighty for the divine gift of Jesus Christ the Messiah whose earthly incarnation we commemorate today.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ who the Prophet Isaiah heralded as the Prince of Peace and Wonderful Counselor, I believe it is very appropriate that we all, Christians and non-Christians alike, reflect more deeply on the virtues and ideals which the Messiah espoused during his earthly mission.
To my mind, there can be no doubt that the greater internalization of the virtues of love for our fellowmen, tolerance, Godliness, honesty, fairness to others, selflessness, and peaceful co-existence with others, by all adult Nigerians, and the inculcation of the same in our youth,  will definitely help our dear nation to overcome most of its present challenges.
Peace and love for others, especially, were a constant refrain in the Messiah's teachings and admonitions to mankind.
Therefore, as we celebrate his birth, I urge all Nigerians to offer special prayers for a greater manifestation of divine peace in our country and the vanquishing of all demons of hatred, divisiveness and disunity in our midst.
As we celebrate Christmas, let us also remember and offer special prayers for all of our countrymen, women and children who have suffered and continue to suffer untold hardship, deprivation and death at the hands of terrorists and insurgents.
Let us also continue to pray for our gallant soldiers and security agents who remain at the forefront of the national effort to overcome terrorism and violent extremism, even as the rest of the nation celebrates Christmas and the coming New Year.
In this season of goodwill, I urge all patriotic Nigerians to rededicate themselves to doing all within their powers to support the brave men and women of our armed forces in the ongoing war against terrorism, and also support the Federal Government's efforts to provide more succour to the hapless victims of terrorist atrocities.
The Victims' Support Fund which we have established to raise additional funds to assist our compatriots who have been adversely affected by continuing insecurity in parts of our country remains active.
I call on all individuals and corporate organisations who have not yet done so, to donate more generously to the Fund which is being efficaciously deployed to ease the sufferings of victims of terrorist violence in the country.
Dear Compatriots, we are also celebrating this Christmas against the background of preparations for next year's general elections.
I seize this opportunity to reassure the nation that my administration will give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all necessary support to ensure that it delivers very free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in 2015.
National security agencies will also be given all necessary support to enhance their ability to ensure that the elections which should strengthen democracy in our country are peaceful and violence free.
I urge our political class to be law- abiding and place the greater interests of our nation above all personal or sectional interests in the countdown to the elections.
Let us all be more statesman-like, conduct issues-based campaigns, and eschew the promotion of falsehood, division and hatred of others as we seek the votes of our countrymen in what should be a peaceful competition among contending points of view for the progress and development of our dear nation.
I remain convinced that God Almighty is still  with us as a nation even in the midst of our current challenges which we shall surely overcome with greater unity of purpose, dedication, commitment and perseverance.
Let this year's celebration of the birth of Christ the Messiah rekindle, strengthen and reaffirm our faith in our national ability to overcome all challenges, with God on our side.
I wish you all very happy Christmas celebrations.
 
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

FG WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE BETTER TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND OTHER DEVELOPING NATIONS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

FG WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE BETTER TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND OTHER DEVELOPING NATIONS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan pledged Tuesday in Abuja that his administration will continue to actively encourage and support the development of more mutually-beneficial trade and economic relations between Nigeria and other developing nations.

Speaking at separate audiences with the new ambassadors of Cuba and Zimbabwe, President Jonathan said that in keeping with its commitment to privatization, trade liberalization and the full diversification of the Nigerian economy, the Federal Government will welcome greater economic ties with Cuba, Zimbabwe and other emerging  economies.

"Nigeria is a very vast economy. We are not just about oil. We have a very vibrant business community that has a global presence in both the service and non-service sectors.

"We will encourage these businesses to expand their interests into your economies,'' the President told Ambassador Carlos Eleterio Trejo Sosa of Cuba and Ambassador  Lovemore Mazemo of  Zimbabwe, who were at the Presidential Villa to present their letters of credence to him.

President Jonathan noted that with the full support and encouragement of his administration, Nigerian businesses were already operating successfully  in some African and European countries, and making commendable progress in the development of entrepreneurial skills, resource mobilization and global competitiveness.

He wished the new ambassadors successful tenures in Abuja and assured them of the full cooperation of the Federal Government as they work to enhance existing bilateral relations between Nigeria and their countries.

The new ambassadors thanked President Jonathan for receiving them and assured him that  they will work hard to boost trade and economic relations between their countries and Nigeria.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
December 23, 2014

Friday, December 19, 2014

FG WILL ACT EXPEDITOUSLY TO END UNHEALTHY RIVALRIES IN HEALTH SECTOR - PRESIDENT JONATHAN

FG WILL ACT EXPEDITOUSLY TO END UNHEALTHY RIVALRIES IN HEALTH SECTOR - PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan pledged Friday in Abuja that the Federal Government will act expeditiously on the report of the Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-Professional Relationship in the Public Health Sector to end "unhealthy rivalries" among healthcare professionals.

Receiving the report of the committee, which was headed by former Head of Service, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, President Jonathan said that the Federal Government will review the report immediately with a view to issuing a white paper on it and beginning the implementation of its accepted recommendations early next year.

"I had to set up the committee because I am very sad, and I know most Nigerians feel very sad that strikes and unhealthy rivalries among professionals in the health sector have adversely affected medical services,'' the President said.

President Jonathan said that he was optimistic that the implementation of the committee's accepted recommendations will help to end unhealthy rivalries and incessant strikes in the public health sector, which, he said, had unfortunately created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the sector, leaving many people with fewer options for quality medical services.

Alhaji Yayale told the President that the committee identified 50 areas of conflict after receiving memoranda and interacting with about 40 professional bodies in the Public Health Sector and members of the public.

He said that the areas of conflict were broadly categorized into organizational management, leadership and team work, remuneration and motivation, career management, capacity building, professional practice, labour, legal and governance issues. 

Alhaji Yayale said that the committee has made far-reaching recommendations to resolve conflicts in the sector.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
December 19, 2014.

Monday, December 8, 2014

FG WORKING HARD TO ACHIEVE  IMPROVED SECURITY  IN NORTH EAST AHEAD OF 2015 ELECTIONS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

FG WORKING HARD TO ACHIEVE IMPROVED SECURITY  IN NORTH EAST AHEAD OF 2015 ELECTIONS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Monday in Abuja that Nigeria's Armed Forces and security agencies will sustain and intensify ongoing operations against insurgents in the country's north-eastern states to achieve significantly improved security there ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Speaking at an audience with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Uriel Palti, President Jonathan said that Nigeria will also continue to work with neighbouring countries for the effective implementation of the regional security arrangements which were recently concluded to enhance multilateral cooperation against extremism, terrorism, insurgency and other cross-border crimes.

The President told the Israeli Ambassador that the Federal Government was actively and progressively enhancing the ability of Nigeria's Armed Forces and security agencies to deal decisively with terrorists and insurgents.

President Jonathan added that the positive effects of steps taken by his administration in this regard will become increasingly apparent very soon.

The Israeli ambassador conveyed the condolences of the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu to President Jonathan and the people of Nigeria on the loss of lives in recent terrorist attacks.

He thanked President Jonathan for his recent visits to Israel.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 8, 2014