We’ll mark Democracy Day, FG insists

The Federal Government said yes­terday that Nigeria will on May 29 mark 15^th year of the return of democracy, hence the event would showcase its achievements especially in the last four years.
Minister of Information Labaran Maku said the Federal Executive Council (FEC), chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, discussed the programmes for this year’s Democracy Day celebrations, with members noting that it was the third anniversary of Jonathan’s election and the last before next year’s general elections. He said in spite of distractions of terrorism which are meant to make the country lose confidence, the country has recorded remarkable achievements.
Maku said the programmes as outlined by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) will showcase the achievements of the administration in the last four years.
According to Maku, his ministry is undertaking sectoral documentaries in all aspects of the nation’s development in the last four years.
He said the documentaries would be translated into local languages and aired. Maku noted that this year’s edition of the ministerial platform which is the final edition before the general elections will return in June, but would show graphic pictures of achievements of the administration sector by sector.
Maku said: “Council today discussed programmes for May 29, the third anniversary of the election of President Jonathan. It is also a reminder that our democracy has come of age and it is in fact, the first time in the history of our country that we will be running a democratic system continuously for 15 years.
“In spite of all the distractions of terror which tempt us to lose confidence in ourselves and in our democracy, we believe that in the last four years, the country has witnessed momentus development in all sectors of our economy as a result of the President’s Transformation Agenda.
“As we witnessed in the road, aviation, agriculture and other sectors, there have been tremendous work on the development of our country in spite of the terror attacks.
“One of the intentions of the terror attacks is to ensure that we turn our attention away from issues of development. We can only defeat terror by deepening democracy and improving in infrastructure.
“In the last four years, the administration has done so much for the economy in terms of investment and support for industries. Today, the economy is growing in spite of all the distractions. We believe that May 29 is an opportunity to showcase what the government had done and so the Office of the SGF is coordinating a programme for the commemoration of Democracy Day.
“The programme will showcase the achievements of this administration in the last four years. In addition to that, the Ministry of information is undertaking sectoral documentaries in all aspects of our development in the last four years.
“These documentaries would be translated into local languages and aired across the country,” he said.