By Egena Sunday Ode
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said national security remains the fundamental bedrock required to achieve Nigeria’s economic ambitions and lasting prosperity.
He noted that his administration views safety and the protection of lives as the fundamental baseline for business expansion, which is why the broader economic plan focuses on stabilizing macroeconomic fundamentals, boosting local industry, and attracting foreign investment.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja during the graduation ceremony for participants of National Defence College Course 34, the Nigerian leader, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, maintained that strengthening the nation’s armed forces and neutralizing criminal elements, bandits, and terrorists remain central to the government’s focus.
“Our economic ambitions accompany the duty to secure our people. The Armed Forces and security agencies continue to confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, piracy and organised criminality with courage and professionalism.
“Government will provide equipment, training, resources and institutional support for their constitutional duties. Peace creates room for enterprise, and enterprise enlarges the citizen’s stake in peace. When communities recover security, opportunity must follow, because stability grows where people can work, trade, learn and hope,” he stated.
Aligning with the crux of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent graduation lecture, President Tinubu pointed out that “Africa’s security will increasingly depend on productive economies, regional value chains, innovation, and industries capable of employing its young population.”
As the African Continental Free Trade Area deepens integration, he insisted that ‘industrialisation must drive inclusive growth, reduce structural vulnerability and enlarge continental bargaining power,” just as he restated Nigeria’s commitment “to a peaceful, prosperous, integrated Africa.”
The Nigerian leader outlined reforms his administration is pursuing under the Renewed Hope Agenda for a productive, diversified and competitive economy, saying the government is “improving conditions for enterprise, encouraging private investment, promoting local value addition and expanding roads, railways, ports, energy and digital connectivity.
“These investments reduce costs, connect markets and reinforce national integration. We are strengthening capacity in agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, technology and defence industry. Sovereignty acquires substance when a nation can absorb shocks, meet essential needs and defend its interests,” he added.
To the graduands of the National Defence College Course 34, President Tinubu reminded them that the course “reflects the breadth required by modern statecraft, drawing participants from the Armed Forces, Police, public institutions and friendly nations.”
He lauded the international participants’ confidence, urging graduands to ensure their forged networks deepen cooperation, understanding, peace, and development across Africa and beyond.
The Nigerian leader congratulated the graduands on their discipline, curiosity and resilience, charging them to carry the college’s values of excellence, courage, patriotism and integrity, even as he commended the Commandant, faculty and staff of the college “for sustaining Nigeria’s foremost institution for strategic education,” as well as “their devotion to education and policy-oriented research.”
Earlier, Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, said the presence of the President, ably represented by the Vice President, at the graduation ceremony was in acknowledgement of his administration’s commitment to strategic leadership development and national security.
He noted that the participants had, in the past 47 weeks, undergone intensive and rigorous training programme comprising research, field tours and seminar presentations, focusing on contemporary security and developmental challenges as well as high level defence management.
The commandant said the participants are expected to translate their experience and knowledge gained during the programme into tangible solutions confronting various sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The highpoint of the graduation ceremony was the presentation of certificates to the 103 participants, comprising 33 from the Nigerian Army; 20 from the Nigeria Navy; 9 from the Nigeria Air Force; 4 from the Police; 17 from MDAs, and 20 international participants, as well as awards to deserving participants.
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