Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Sanwo-Olu, Makinde Usher Nigerians Into 2021 With Best Wishes
Leaders across all divides have sent their heartfelt felicitations to Nigerians to usher in the new year.
From the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, despite the downturn in the economy and the uncertainties by the ravaging Covid-19, they all urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and positive in the year 2021.
In a statement he personally signed on Thursday, Senate president Lawan applauded Nigerians for making it into the new year, while wishing them joy and prosperity in 2021.
Lawan said, “The year 2020 was full of challenges on the economic, security, health and other fronts for most nations of the world. Thankfully, however, the challenges could not dampen our hope for a better future for us as individuals and as a nation.
“As a Legislature, we had prepared ahead for the vagaries that will for long be associated with 2020 by making the necessary legislation for the facilitation of good governance and economic growth. Ahead of the year, we had restructured our fiscal year to a more predictable January to December cycle and ensured that our budget for 2020 was ready for the new structure. We made the change to enhance economic activities and growth.
He added that the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown of the economy that it enforced adversely affected every country in the world as it did our own economic projections and preparations. One of the worst results for Nigeria was the slide again into recession, just a few years after we had recovered from one.
“Despite this situation, we can thank God that the impact of the global health emergency and economic recession on Nigeria is not as catastrophic as was predicted by experts. I believe that this was not out of luck but because we did not delay in appropriately fine-tuning and adjusting our plans in the light of the developments.
“The resurgence of the pandemic will not also inflict on us the disaster being witnessed in other parts of the world if we, as a government and as a people, do not let down our guard and take useful lessons from what is happening elsewhere.
According to him, there is a need to prepare better than before for the New Year 2021 and the years ahead. We have to ensure for our people better governance processes and dividends of democracy despite the prevailing circumstances.
“The ninth National Assembly has remained firm on its policy of passing the national budget in December preceding the fiscal year and we have done so for 2021. We have also passed a series of enactments proposed by the Executive as Finance Bills to support smooth implementation of the 2021 budget. We are determined to see Nigeria exit, as quickly as possible in the new year, from the current recession.
“In our pursuit of this objective, we have granted the request by the Executive for permission to utilise the unspent capital votes of 2020 up to March 2021. We believe that allowing the implementation of this outstanding capital component of the 2020 budget to run concurrently with the 2021 budget will inject more funds to the economy.
Lawan thanked all Nigerians for their understanding and support for the ninth Assembly. We promise in the new year to continue to put in our best for good governance and for the betterment of the lives of our people.
On his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila congratulated Nigerians for witnessing the New Year 2021 despite the challenges of the past year.
In his New Year message, the Speaker urged Nigerians to keep hope alive in the year 2021.
He said Nigerians should use the experiences of the preceding year, 2020, which he described as very challenging, to work towards a better 2021.
The Speaker said he was optimistic that the year 2021 holds a lot of positives for Nigeria and Nigerians, hence the need for the citizens to remain positive.
Gbajabiamila also called for continuous unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians, saying “we have no other country than Nigeria; this is the only country we can call ours.”
“It is my hope and prayer that the year 2021 will be better than all the preceding years of our nation’s history.
“In this New Year, let’s remain resolute and determined in our nationhood. Yes, we may be going through challenges as a nation, but with our collective determination, we shall overcome,” Gbajabiamila said.
While felicitating with Nigerians in his new year address, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians, especially Lagosians to enter the New Year with a rekindled and renewed hope in themselves and the nation that things will get better in 2021.
Governor Sanwo-Olu in his New Year message while speaking to journalists at the State House, Marina on Thursday, advised people not to enter 2021 with any grievance, pain or regrets, saying that all negative things should be left with 2020.
He said: “I wish every Lagosian a happy New Year. We pray that 2021 will be a year of rekindled hope for all of us in our homes, offices, schools, health facilities and every facet of life that we find ourselves.
“We want to say to all our people that indeed as difficult as 2020 might have appeared to each one of us, we should not be lost in the learning and lessons of 2020. We should not enter 2021 with any grievance, pain and regrets because that should just be left with 2020.
“In 2021, we must have that belief and rekindled hope that things would get better. We should not forget the learning and the lessons because it is only when you have learnt from what has happened that you can become a better person going forward. And there should not be any form of bitterness and anger.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu who wished all Lagosians a prosperous 2021, said his administration is committed to impacting the lives of the citizens in the New Year.
“Let us enter the New Year afresh, refreshed and with a renewed hope in ourselves and in our nation because indeed, this is the only place we have and we all can build it together. And this government is committed to ensuring that it is always the greatest good for the greatest number and we will ensure that in all facets we would impact the lives of our citizens positively.
“So I want to wish you all the very best and I am very hopeful about what 2021 has in stock for all of us,” he said.
In his New year message, the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde asked Nigerians to be thankful to God for surviving 2020.
Makinde, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa declared that residents of the state and Nigerians should be grateful, stating that though many would describe the year as a tough one, God’s grace saw them through the various challenges that characterised the year.
The governor maintained that despite various events that set the state back economically, the state government was still able to record a huge reduction in the infrastructure deficit of the state.
He noted that though 2020 was characterised by a drop in oil prices, which led to a huge drop in revenue from federal allocations and the attendant economic meltdown, the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests, among other challenges, residents of the state could still count their blessings.
According to the governor, the efforts of his administration in fixing the health, education and security sectors have yielded positive results, while the administration was also able to grow the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state.
He said: “As 2020 closes, I am reminded of the words of the very popular 1897 hymn by Johnson Oatman Jr, “Count your Blessings.” This song encourages us to take stock of the good things that happened in our lives. “When we do this, we often find that we have overlooked many positives.
“Many would describe 2020 as a tough year. At the beginning of the year, the drop in oil prices led to a huge drop in revenue from federal allocations and attendant economic meltdown. In March 2020, many states in Nigeria had cases of coronavirus disease.
“This necessitated an interstate lockdown by the Federal Government. Although we did not effect a total lockdown in Oyo State, we were not spared the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few months later, we faced mass protests by the youths and others who were angry about police brutality. Events after the protests also set us back economically.
“However, our 2020 is not defined by these events. As the first stanza of that song says: “When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
Makinde added that at the end of the year 2021, may we have even more reasons to look back and be surprised at the “many things that the Lord has done. May your year 2021 be better than your year 2020.”
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