President Goodluck Jonathan has, for the umpteenth time, disagreed that his administration is slow; instead saying it has been taking its time in its choice and manner of implementing government policies and projects.
Jonathan, speaking during yesterday’s Christmas Day service at the Diocese of Abuja Anglican Communion, the Cathedral Church of the Advent Life Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja, expressed confidence that the foundation his administration is laying for infrastructural development would stand the test of time.
“By human thinking, our administration is slow,” the president said. “I won’t say we are slow but we need to think through things properly if we are to make lasting impact. If we rush we will make mistakes and sometimes it is more difficult to correct those mistakes.”
He assured Nigerians that his administration will have no reason to recant itself on policies, because they are always well thought-out. He said, too, that if there are situations requiring fast action, such as the recent flood disaster, his administration would respond likewise.
“Democracy must be dictated by ballot papers and I think we have achieved that with electoral reform. We will not go back but will continue to improve,” he added.
“For our transformation to be sustained, we Nigerians must be reformed. We must not see our country as where we make money only and build walls and live as prisoners because of the criminal activities of few … What we are doing in agriculture, transportation and power has been noted … We have laid solid foundation for power, agriculture and transport sectors and I can assure you we will not go back again.”
President Jonathan also used the opportunity to implore criminally minded citizens to desist from vandalising government properties, saying such actions translate to sabotaging government efforts at transforming the lives of the people.
“People play politics with things that affect even their own lives. You wonder why someone will want to cut down a conductor carrying cables that produce electricity, just because you want a government to fail.
“This happened somewhere in Enugu. You begin to wonder if they are humans. That is why we need to reform if we must transform.”
He also reiterated the importance of the role of the church in supporting government, the president, saying “The church has a great role to play if the transformation must succeed, because you can’t transform without reformation; and is the role of the church to do so.”
