The Presidency on Friday said move by some Nigerians to rubbish the achievement of President Muhammadu Buhari is an eternal battle between light and darkness, truth and falsehood.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, in an article titled: “SDGs Milestones,” said N24 billion disbursed to States, 732 water facilities, 494 health facilities, 616 schools built, yet some people said Buhari was not working.
“It’s an eternal battle between light and darkness, truth and falsehood. In fact, they are in mortal combat, and at times, there are fears that the forces of evil might prevail.
“But one is encouraged by the words of the English poet John Milton: “Let her (Truth) and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?”
“In Nigeria today, a fierce encounter rages between truth and falsehood. There are many merchants out there whose sole merchandise is to sell the falsehood that Muhammadu Buhari has not achieved anything in over seven years,” he said.
Adesina said they have made themselves deliberately deaf to obvious successes, closed their eyes to achievements that are as conspicuous as a tiger in a tea shop, and wanted the world to believe that the only thing happening in Nigeria was insecurity.
“Yes, security is everything. In fact, it is said that self preservation is the first law of nature. But in the middle of trying to preserve our security and well being, Muhammadu Buhari does not also take his eyes off other things that redound to good lives for the people,” he stated.
Adesina added that every week, “we hold the State House Press Briefing, in which we bring in top officials of government to speak on what they are doing, and the verifiable achievements. Over 44 of such has held, and Governors, Ministers, director-generals, executive secretaries, have graced the platform. Last week was the turn of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
“The former Deputy Governor of Lagos State unfolded what would confound critics, and silence the ‘Buhari is doing nothing’ chorus. The facts were laid bare, though we are not where we are going yet.
“During the 70th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at New York, United States of America, in 2015, world leaders adopted an agenda for sustainable development, which they wanted to see achieved by 2030.
“They wanted a world that is economically sustainable, socially inclusive, and environmentally resilient. It was encapsulated in 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 169 Targets, and 230 Key Performance Indicators. Those replaced what used to be known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” he added.
Adesina said Buhari and his team came back home from UNGA70, and began to work in the usual unobtrusive way.
“Focused, sure-footed. And some of the results were unfolded last week by Princess Orelope-Adefulire, despite the obvious and stiff challenges posed by insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At the Federal level, the SDGs office works closely with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and does same too at the sub-national levels, so that the development goals are mainstreamed into their medium and long-term policies and plans,” he said.
