The Hon Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his team deserve our commendation for compiling the Ministerial Score card series, and to-be- unveiled PMB legacy portal, an attempt at keeping a faithful record in audio, video and print of the achievements of the Buhari administration in the last eight years.
The whole exercise is important for various reasons. First, it is a historical record, and a fairly reliable one because it is a nearly contemporaneous record of what transpired in that eight year period. Second, the records being kept in many different forms help to reinforce their accuracy and authenticity.
Third, this detailed record, even though some will argue is the biased view of active participants in the matters being recorded, will nevertheless provide very useful source materials for researchers and historians in the future whether they are for or against our administration. In other words, by undertaking with great diligence and commitment this incredibly difficult task of record keeping, the Minister and his colleagues in this effort have provided a body of systematically structured facts in writing , photographs and film footage on the most recent eight years of almost a quarter of a century of democracy in Nigeria.
Fourth the Scorecard series is more than a self report card it is also, a programmatic agenda that has provided a platform for Ministers to highlight their challenges, and unfolding plans for their respective ministries.
But some aspects of this record keeping exercise standout , for their sheer poignancy -The 19-minute teaser of the documentary series and the testimonial series we just saw are just some of such star features. Through the testimonials of actual beneficiaries we are able to practically present the largest social investment programme in Africa and also gauge the impact of the programme and some accompanying policies over the years. Hearing from citizens themselves; the petty trader who was able to expand her business because of TraderMoni; the unemployed graduate who benefitting from the N-Power programme discovers a new and profitable path; in addition we see and hear recorded for history, the passengers who could not hide their excitement at the seamless operation of the modern railway system or the state-of-the-art airport terminals; and the President of the rice farmers association who told us how rice production in the country has increased exponentially under the Anchor Borrowers Programme. These are real people provided with a springboard to do more for themselves and for their communities; real people inspired to hope and believe that Nigeria can be positively transformed in our lifetime.
But aside from the ultimate usefulness of this work as an anthology of the life and times of the Buhari administration , it is also a fascinating and riveting account of unfolding facts and stories of some of the most intriguing events in contemporary Nigeria and I think these accounts must be given the widest possible reach across traditional and new media channels; let the Documentary and Testimony Series resound on radio, television, and across social media; let the Compendium be circulated, in hard and soft copies, far and wide, to engage, provoke and maybe even inspire Nigerians and others who may come across it.
As we launch this Compendium, Documentary, Testimonials, and Legacy Portal to the public, we must salute the cross functional effort that has produced these achievements; the tireless input of civil servants, and political appointees, the men and women, young and experienced, who working to reverse the developmental tides against us, in the face of fierce criticism and great sacrifices, have pursued the realization of our promises for better security, laying a foundation for prosperity, and creating a fresh burst of hope for the future.
And of course the work continues. Government, as we know, is a continuum. It is the desire of every elected government that the unfinished business of its administration finds continuity and fulfillment in subsequent governments.
I believe I speak the mind of the President when I say that our administration considers it a privilege and an honour to serve the people of our great nation as we have done in the last 8 years. These accomplishments are the hard-won dividends of the social contract we entered into with the Nigerian people when we came into office in 2015. Still, time and history will no doubt speak more eloquently of our stewardship. But for now we can confidently say that we have given of as much as we could. Life, for the living , also offers a continuum, such that even when we are no longer in office, we can and must continue to pursue the fulfilment of our country’s great promise and potential wherever we find ourselves.
Congratulations again to the Ministry of Information and Culture for this impressive, innovative, and robust archival material that I’m sure will provide a veritable template for future administrations.
Congratulations to all the ministers, heads of agencies, and their respective teams for your hardwork and commitment through the years. And On behalf of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, I say thank you for your service. The accomplishments rolled out in these documents are a testament to your work, and you should be as proud of yourselves as we are of you.
Thank you for your kind attention.
