By: Chibuzo Ukaibe on May 13, 2013 - 3:07pm
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terrence Patrick McCulley, has said Nigeria's great future would remain doubtful unless it tackles the problem of power sector, attack corruption and build better electoral process in 2015.
He nonetheless said he is optimistic Nigeria would not break-up.
Mr. McCulley, stated this over the weekend in Kaduna during a programme on Liberty FM Radio in Kaduna.
The US envoy, charged federal government to fight corruption and consolidate on the democratic institutions so as to create a better investment climate.
McCulley said “Nigeria is a very diverse nation and very proud of that diversity, it is important to continue creating enabling environment that will attract both national and foreign direct investment that will grow your economy and bring people out of poverty, create resources and jobs, satisfy regional aspiration of Nigerian people.
“This country has a great future if it tackles the problems of power sector, attack corruption and build better electoral process in 2015.
"These are the things that will really going to anchor your institutions and keep Nigeria as important figure not only in West Africa and Africa, but on the global stage.”
On predictions that Nigeria would split, the US ambassador noted that suggestions and predictions that Nigeria is too big to govern is not true.
He said despite the challenges which Nigeria had to grapple with including challenges in North, disparity of income between north and south, it was able to overcome colonialism, civil war, long period of military rule and so on.
“Nigeria has overcome many challenges and I am convinced in my discussions with Nigerians across the country, in Lagos, Kano, in Sokoto, in Yola a couple of weeks ago. I convinced that Nigerians are fundamentally optimistic about their future and I shared that optimism,” he said.
Responding to the issue of northern governors coming together to acquire regional fund to boost agriculture,
which is the mainstream of north, the US ambassador encouraged the governors to see the sector as a business platform adding that they can come together and create better investment climate so as to seek support from foreign bodies, e.g. the United States.
which is the mainstream of north, the US ambassador encouraged the governors to see the sector as a business platform adding that they can come together and create better investment climate so as to seek support from foreign bodies, e.g. the United States.
“I think if the northern governors, the southern governors or the eastern governors and create conditions where they will encourage foreign investors, it’ll will be obtainable.
"Nigeria has vast hectres of arable land that is uncultivated, so it is so much what we can do as a partner or as a donor country, but we can certainly help to introduce American company to boost the sector, but if the government creates conditions which are favourable,” he said.
He further charged Nigerian youths to explore the opportunities provided by democracy as a platform to voice their opinions positively.
He said “I believe the future of this country is in the hands of Nigerian youths. They need to inform themselves how they can contribute in the construction of democracy in this country. I will tell you one of the things that really impressed me in 2011 was the committed work of Nigerian youths, namely, the Youth Corp members who were staffing in every single polling unit in this country.
"They were all out helping people exercising their democratic rights that was inspiring and I think that is how Nigerians youths needs to get involved in political activities so that their voices can be heard because the future of their fatherland is in their hands.”
Commenting on the freedom of expression, the US envoy said that the United States believes that it is a fundamental human rights considering enshrined in the declaration of human rights acts in the United States constitution as well as part of Nigeria’s constitution saying that they believe it is an essential part of the construction of democracy that people will be allowed to feel associated and speaks freely.
Explaining further McCulley said the FOI bill allows individual citizen to petition government for the list of certain information is verified.
"In general the FOI bill helps the citizens understand the work of their government and the reasons behind government decisions, information on financial matters relating to government spending and also personal financial disclosure for persons appointment to higher offices."
Reacting to the clamp down of some media houses by government in recent times McCulley stated “I was troubled by what happened and circumstances you have just cited. I would say that journalists have an important responsibility in informing people so that they will be well informed in the act of constructing a better democracy.
"They have the right to submit accurate reports, well sourced articles and programmes, but I think fundamentally the right of free speech must be uninfringed and government needs to recognise that and that is very important in any democratic dispensation."
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