SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE 61ST INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA, 6TH MARCH, 2018.
On behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am honoured by the special invitation extended to me by His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on this auspicious occasion of the celebration of the 61st Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Ghana. I am delighted at the warm reception accorded me and my entourage since our arrival in this [ads1]beautiful city of Accra.
Your Excellency,
I would like to pay special tribute to all leaders of the Republic right from the era of the late first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to date. We must acknowledge their various contributions.
In the words of Kwame Nkrumah “those who would judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we started”. No words can sum it up better as we are all familiar with our colonial era journey and its ups and downs. My tribute also goes to all those who have paid the supreme sacrifices in the cause of nation-building.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
May I extend my personal congratulations to President Akufo-Addo on your successful one year in office with special note on the strides recorded by your administration within a space of just 365 days.
From Nigeria, I have watched closely your achievements, ranging from your ingenious approach to creating jobs for the teeming youths through various initiatives, including the repositioning of agriculture for modern farming, ‘Farming for Jobs and Food’, Senior High School (SHS) free education, One-District-One-Factory, and One-Village-One-Dam as well as the improvement being recorded in the Republic’s macroeconomic indicators.
All these efforts, I am aware, have made Ghana to become a good destination for foreign direct investment just like Nigeria. Accept my congratulations!
Your Excellency,
My tributes to you and the people of Ghana will not be complete without acknowledging your efforts at tackling corruption, which has eaten into the fabrics of our societies.
I congratulate both the government and the Parliament for the quick passage of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act and its signing into law. Your Excellency can be assured that you have a good partner in me as I look forward to any form of collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana in tackling the menace of endemic corruption. Given all these public policies, it becomes reassuring that with the right leadership, Africa’s drives to eradicate poverty and to entrench democracy is on course.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
Nigeria and Ghana share close cultural and historic ties, which have continued to shape our bilateral relations. Once again, I note with pride that our common colonial experience, as well as parallel socio-economic and political development and the patriotic vision of our leaders have helped greatly in shaping this unique relationship not only in West Africa sub-region but in our collaborative actions internationally.
It is, therefore, my strong desire that we owe it as a duty to ensure that our good peoples continue to live in each other’s countries unhindered. Our newly rejuvenated Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation has already provided us with good platform in resolving any differences while focusing on our main developmental objectives.
Your Excellency,
Permit me to put on record, Ghana’s untiring efforts in brokering peace in Togo, by bringing all the warring parties to the negotiation table. I am appealing to the opposing parties in Togo to please come together and resolve their differences so that Togo will move forward.
In the same vein, I wish Nigeria and Ghana to continue to provide the impetus in realising the objectives and ideals of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to ensure security, peace and development of our region.
Your Excellency, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, I join other well-wishers to congratulate the Government and the good people of Ghana on this momentous occasion of your celebration of freedom.
Long Live, the Republic of Ghana,
Long Live, the Federal Republic of Nigeria
I thank you all.
