It is morning yet, but if we are to judge the rest of the day by how the morning has begun, then you can rest assured that it will be a bright day.
It is a privilege to join you on this special day, as you celebrate World Facilities Management Day, a day set aside to honour facilities managers all over the world. Fun fact about facilities managers; they have something in common with politicians, and I will be referencing some of these similarities throughout this keynote address.
It is my belief that with this inauguration, members of the commission will get straight to these tasks so that we can get our judicial system working faster. I am also hoping that working with the Legislature, we can domesticate the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, and begin to implement the provisions of that Act, especially regarding the number of inmates kept in correctional facilities and the conditions under which they are kept.
The next couple of months are going to be difficult ones, but we are working hard to mitigate the shocks to our economy. Already, we have secured the cooperation of the legislature to take a 30% cut to their monthly allocations, while senior government appointees take 50% pay cuts. This is because we feel that the economic safety of the workforce must be prioritised.
So, my message to you this blessed day is that you may hold fruitful deliberations and conversations that will move your church forward. And that by your presence and faithful acts, you draw more people to examine ways in which they can draw closer to God.
We are operating a modern democracy, but we cannot overlook the importance of the traditional council in ensuring order and peace in our society. Traditional rulers are close to the people, they understand the culture and tradition of the people and so when conflicts arise, they know how to resolve them using society’s mores.
Therefore, we are aiming to build on these legacies. Building edifices such as these is one way of ensuring that our legacies are preserved, a place where the meetings and other activities of the traditional local council will be held.
Attracting direct investments will take a collective effort. Our administration will continue to invest in security and take other measures to ensure that we create an enabling environment for the growth of investments. On your part, you should be ready to extend the traditional hospitality to strangers, making them feel welcome in our midst.
Traditionally, humankind has always been afraid of what they do not understand. Sometimes, people throw out revolutionary ideas because people either do not understand it or are not willing to understand it. But, as an African proverb says, “the brave man is not he who doesn’t feel afraid, but he that conquers that fear.” It is time for us to be brave.
This administration has been here for less than a year, but the expectations that the people have of us are enormous. But, we can be thankful that we have been enjoying tremendous goodwill from the people. We must never take their loyalty for granted.