The Federal Government has for the second time, decided to mark the Independence Day Anniversary of the Country? in a low key. This time, it is not because it is wary of bomb attacks by the? Boko Haram sect, which has been waging a relentless war against it, but in tune with the national mood.? The occasion will rather be used to reflect on our national lives as well as correct some anomalies in the nation such as fixing the nation’s dwindling economy.
?The Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro who? made this disclosure while intimating journalists on the activities that have been lined up for the 2012 and 52nd Independence Day celebration, explained that the low key celebration ,is in tandem with the current transformation agenda of the current administration.
“No aspect of the celebration has been withdrawn. The country is troubled at this particular time, and we have several cases of decayed infrastructures, natural disasters which affected so many people. Instead of a flamboyant celebration where a lot of money would be allocated, the federal government has decided to channel the money towards assisting victims of the natural disasters”, the minister said.
Moro averred that the current administration has the interest of the people at heart and would do its best towards implementing people oriented programmes.
He also said that the chosen pattern of celebration would enable the country work effectively towards organising its Centenary in 2014, where the president will brief the nation on his achievement in office and the challenges that awaits the country in being one of the greatest economies in the year 2020.
Describing the low key celebration of the national day as adopted by the federal government as a step in the right direction,? Comrade Moro said that it was the hope of government that, by the time the indicators are put in place, Nigeria will be ripe and ready to celebrate various degrees of achievements that will make it one of the 20 greatest economies by 2020.
He said that being a responsive government the government had decided to avoid glamorous and flamboyant activities at the expense of some of the plagues that had bedeviled the country.
The Minister who maintained that the? 2012 national day celebration, just like the preceding one of 2011 would be marked with? various activities? at state level.? He was however silent on how much has been earmarked for the activities that have been lined up for the national day celebration.
Giving a breakdown of the programmes lined up to mark the celebration, Moro disclosed that? the President will discuss with civil societies on the 6th of September, while national honours award would take place on the 17th, and on the 25th and 26th, a conference of Secretaries of State Government from the 36 states will hold.
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