Address by

His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo

At the Retreat for Honourable Ministers and Permanent Secretaries

Nicon Hilton Abuia. July 18 - 20, 2003

REFORM FOR STABILITY AND GROWTH

It gives me pleasure to welcome you all to this first Ministerial Retreat following the swearing in of all confirmed Ministers.

Let me congratulate each and every one of you once again for scaling through the Senate review of your appointment which indeed is a necessary hurdle in the process of democratic governance. I salute and welcome you to the Executive Team that has the constitutional responsibility for piloting the national affairs for the next four years. I am confident that together we will completely plan and implement policies that will actualise the hopes and vision of our Administration for a greater Nigeria.

Any human organisation that will work smoothly as a team must have a leader. Our forum is the Cabinet, where we will discuss and deliberate, as expression of our collective responsibility, and we will reach conclusions and decisions after due consultations and agreements. I am the Cabinet team leader, just as you are the team leader in your respective Ministries.

Our operative word is leadership, that is:

·    leadership that accepts the privilege of being called to serve as a challenge;

·    leadership that puts Nigeria first at all times;

·    leadership that can earn the trust and confidence of all Nigerians;

·    leadership that is transparent and accountable;

·    leadership that is morally responsible;

·    leadership that is fully committed to quality governance through hard work and stringent discipline;

·    It must be leadership by example all the way; and

·    Above all, it must be leadership that is God fearing.

As you are all aware, with the renewed mandate for our Administration, Nigerians have renewed their trust in our Administration's ability to consolidate the gains of transition to democratic dispensation which we undertook four years ago. We must begin by taking full cognisance of the fact that Nigerians have accordingly raised the stakes of expectations for our Administration. It is reasoned, understandably, that our Administration will draw wisdom from our experiences of governance in the last four years. I can confirm to you that we have indeed built up a stock of knowledge with which we are better equipped to chart the road map towards a goal that I would thematically label as Reform for Stability and Growth. I expect that the dynamism of this Executive Team will steadily and steadfastly propel us towards this goal.

It is hoped that this Retreat will mark the take-off on the mission to confirm that democracy is not just a mere theory and a script for politicians to act out, but that democratic governance is the only sustainable basis for delivering progress through qualitative as well as quantitative changes, in the lives of all men, women and children in the country.

In spite of our corrective efforts over the last four years, there are certain negative impressions about Ministers and their jobs that are still persisting in the minds of ordinary Nigerians. These impressions include:

·    that to be appointed Minister is a scoop, meaning it is a chance for the individual to cut himself a disproportionate slice of the so-called national cake;

·    that there are certain Ministries that are juicy, while other ministries are said to be dry;

·    that Ministers are above the law, by the perverted reasoning that equates having power with having the authority to disregard rules for order, from traffic regulations to gross misuse of government property;

·    that a Minister's loyalty is first and foremost to his friends, relations and community to whom she or he has continually delivers largesse of office.

Let me state here and now that our Administration does not in anyway endorse these impressions, and we will vehemently condemn their manifestations in the attitudes of Ministers. The programme of this Retreat has been designed to introduce you to some of the ground rules of your office, the job description, the principles of Cabinet government, even though we operate a presidential system. I believe you all have in your Retreat Pack copies of my inauguration address [Continuity, Stability and Progress], my address to the inaugural meeting of the National Assembly [Fast Forward into the Future]. These documents encapsulate cardinal aspects of our policy orientation in the next four years, which, as I said earlier, is predicated on Reform for Stability and Growth.

ECONOMIC REFORM

There is an urgent need to reform our national economy in order to improve the prosperity of the Nigerian people. The sad fact is that virtually all sectors of our national economy are producing below optimal level. We must produce before we can have an economy to talk about. Thus, this Administration intends to intensify action in the following areas:

·    Privatisation: This process will be pursued with vigour in order to achieve our objective of reducing government role to that of managing an enabling environment for business while encouraging private sector investment to become the engine of economic growth.

·    Taxation: We must improve our tax base, not only to improve government revenue, but also to ensure that those who enjoy government services pay adequately for them;

·    Small and Medium Industries: Efforts and resources will be put into this sector so as to expand and invigorate it as it is the backbone of our programme to reduce unemployment, in addition to making highly vital contribution to economic production;

·    Export Drive: Our Administration intends to go beyond lamenting the fact that Nigeria can only export petroleum products. Everyone knows Nigeria has a lot more to export, and our Administration intends to advance towards that potential;

·    Agriculture: The agricultural potential of this vast country is far from being realized. Our Administration plans to take the major step of developing our agriculture, through the management of water and land. Furthermore, we will improve the technological inputs into seeds development, harvesting, processing, and storage of agricultural products. Our aim is to enhance food security in this country as well as have enough of agricultural produce for exports. We must mobilise for agricultural production and food security.

·    Investment Promotion: Foreign Direct Investment has been on the increase in the last few years, but we can have more if we improve our promotion strategy, our image and the investment environment for greater appeal to foreign investors.

POLITICAL REFORM

·    Local Government: The process has already begun in a critical review of our current local government structure. Our aim is to reform this tier of government so as to make governance in the country purposeful, dedicated, and in the service of the people.

STABILISATION

We can design and unpredictable, and cannot work to target. Our programme for stabilising the system includes:

·    Reduction of waste: Our Administration plans to plug all holes of waste, either due to poor management of resources, bad administration and planning, or outright fraudulent use of public property. Monetisation, to which I believe a number of you may have been introduced, is an integral part of our plans to reduce government spending as well as eliminate waste.

·    Service delivery: As I said in my speech to the inaugural session of the National Assembly "Public offices are the shopping floor for government business. Regrettably, Nigerians have for too long been feeling short-changed by the quality of public service delivery by which decisions are not made without outside influence and files do not move without being pushed with inducements. Our public offices have for too long been showcases for the combined evils of inefficiency and corruption; whilst being impediments to effective implementation of government policies. Nigerians deserve better. And we will ensure they get what is better!"

·    Discipline: There is a consensus that indiscipline is the bane of our national life and successive governments have in the past, tried to grapple with this. Every person, including the undisciplined person is the loser to the consequences of indiscipline. The ‘Nigerian Way’ is no longer a joke. It must be replaced by the superior sense of regard for decency, order and civilized behaviour.

·    Public Service Reform: Our Government plans to reform public service so as to improve the performance and vital contribution to our social system. Specifically, there will be civil service reform to make civil service more cost-effective and efficient.

·    Budgeting: We have steadily moved away from the uncoordinated and undisciplined manner of budgeting that characterised budgeting in the years preceding transition to democratic rule. A Budget Office is now fully established. Ministries and government departments should ensure diligent budgeting process that reflects their precise requirements, while bearing in mind that the budget is a financial guide for government programme There will be no room for extra budgetary funds except in very special circumstances when such allocations will be accommodated from contingency provisions. Ministries will be required to set targets against which performance will be monitored relative to fund. Government subsidies will only be allowed when correlated with productivity or justifiable on the grounds of enhancing prosperity.

·    Due Process: The established Due Process Office is now a permanent feature of our Administration. I note that the presentation on due process is scheduled to be made at this Retreat.

·    Judiciary: There is an urgent need to review and reform the court rules and procedures so as to enhance administration of justice. We take due cognizance of the fact that a number of foreign investors are apprehensive that delay in the administration of justice in our country inhibit their involvement in contractual agreement that may have implications of adjudication in our courts.

·    Education: In addition to our programme of Universal Basic Education (UBE), we will continue with reform of higher institutions of learning. I am pleased to announce that the University Autonomy Bill has been duly enacted, and we are confident that this Law will at least deal effectively with disruptions in our Universities

·    Anti-Corruption: Some members of the Nigerian public have expressed their opinion to the effect our anti-corruption crusade in the last four years have been deficient in credibility because it appeared to lack the support of the Federal Executive Council who only rarely expressed their support in public. The situation has to change with the new cabinet. Each and everyone of you must do more than give a nodding support for the anti-corruption crusade, to which the government is unequivocally committed. You must all be apostles of the anti-corruption crusade by your deeds and utterances at all times. You must set up anti-corruption units in your ministries and departments. Our determination to fight corruption is infinite, and we will leave no stone unturned.

Ladies and Gentlemen, human beings prefer the known to the unknown, so reforms generally tend to be resisted. But these reforms are imperative if we are to break out of the vicious circle of policies that have stagnated or retarded us. We are resolved to take the bull by the horn, and by the Grace of God, we will succeed, because our intentions are exclusively focused on the best interest of Nigeria and its people. And, as leaders, these interests of the people should always be at the top of our priorities.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the performance of every Ministry in this Administration will be closely monitored. The Federal Executive Council has no room for passengers. If we intend to call on all Nigerians to join us in our forward march for the progress of this country, then our leadership position will be compromised when we do not lead from the front.

Let me once more thank for making yourself available to serve our country. May God Almighty accept and bless your sacrifice of selfless service.

I thank you.