'Economic crisis will be over very soon,' President assures Nigerians

The President stressed that the APC-led government is committed to fulfilling its electoral promise to change the old ways of doing things in order to positively change Nigeria for good.

Buhari stated this on Wednesday, April 5, when he formally launched Nigeria’s Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP 2017 – 2020) at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He said: "We are committed to delivering on the three key areas that we promised – That is improving security, tackling corruption and revitalising the economy. Security in the North East, and other parts of Nigeria, is significantly better today than when we came in.

"With regards to our fight against corruption, as you all know, our law enforcement agencies are prosecuting very many cases of corruption. Our successes in these two areas are clear for all to see.

"I want to assure all Nigerians that we are approaching the solution to our economic challenges with the same will and commitment we have demonstrated in the fight against corruption and in the fight against terrorism and militancy."

He said the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan contains all his administration's sectoral plans for agriculture and food security, energy and transport infrastructure, industrialization and social investments.

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The President noted that the plan builds on the Strategic Implementation Plan and sets out an ambitious roadmap to return the economy to growth as well as to achieve a 7% growth rate by 2020.

"Our aim, simply put, is to optimise local content and empower local businesses. We seek not just to take the Nigerian economy out of recession but to place it on a path of sustained, inclusive and diversified growth.We are determined to change Nigeria from an import dependent country to a producing nation.

"We must become a nation where we grow what we eat and consume what we produce.

"We must strive to have a strong Naira and productive economy. The Plan I am launching today therefore sets out what we, as Government, are committed to do to create the enabling environment for business to thrive," the President said.

He called on state governments as well as Nigerians to work with the Federal Government to ensure the objectives of the plan is achieved.