Federal government working to partner private sector in fixing security issues

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to partner with the private sector in a bid to address the security challenges in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday said “As we come to the end of this Presidential Policy Dialogue Session, the key proposals made by the experts are for the Federal Government to consider the following strategic initiatives over the next four years.

“Address our security challenges by working in collaboration with the private sector; Fix the power sector by addressing some of the regulatory uncertainties and operational shortcomings of the key players, he said.  

“Drive efficiency in public service delivery through realignment of the Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs) and implementation of e-governance solutions; 

“Stimulate significant investments in the industrialisation of agriculture; Develop policies that will facilitate private sector participation in infrastructure projects; 

“Introduce policies and regulatory changes that will unlock growth potentials in the petroleum sector – both upstream and downstream;

“Aggressively improve the ease of doing business by reducing bureaucracy and improving inter agency collaboration; 

“Providing incentives for investors especially in agriculture and power sectors; 

“Facilitate construction of mass and affordable housing to propel economic growth and reduce the massive housing deficit; 

“Launch of a consumer credit scheme with the Banking Sector for citizens to have access to long term and affordable mortgages and consumer credit,” he added.

The President assured that the proposals will be presented to his ministers, who are still undergoing screening at the National Assembly. 

He said “God willing, the proposals from this session will be discussed and finalised with them in the coming weeks as they take on their portfolios. 

“Although most of the proposals were targeted at the Federal Government, I also want to remind the State Governors to do their part especially in the areas of education and health care, which are within their constitutional responsibilities.

“Our collective goal is to implement initiatives that will lift our citizens out of poverty through mass employment and social safety nets. 

“This is achievable with the right fundamentals in place. We must all keep in mind that a successful economy is one where prosperity is felt by the majority.”

Buhari thanked members of the All Progressives Congress, developmental partners, captains of industries and private sector representatives, industry experts, and all the other speakers and panel members at the retreat. 

He said that the retreat gave him hope that his administration will surely leave a better Nigeria for future generations to come.”