CAREER ADVICE TIPS FOR RECENT GRADUATES BY BRIAN TRACY

More and more students are eager to work that have college degrees and there is more competition every year.

Are you looking for a little job advice for recent graduates?

If you experience any of these fears:

You’re eager to put your new college degree to use but don’t have your perfect job lined up.
You’re worried that you may have a lack of experience.
You’re unsure of what industry you should be in.
You’ve never been interviewed and aren’t sure how to prepare.
Do not worry. Everyone worries about this situation after graduation, and I have some career advice for you.

Here are 10 business tips for recent college graduates that will help you choose a career path that is right for you, and land that job out of college that you really want.

1) DON’T LET THE WORLD DECIDE YOUR PATH

Sit down and make a list and a plan of your ideal situation. Ask yourself:

What kind of work that you really enjoy doing?
If you weren’t getting paid what kind of work would you enjoy doing?
What activities in your past have been responsible for your success?
Making a plan will help put you on the right path to getting a great job.


2) INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING

Before an interview, do research on the company and overall industry you are interviewing for. When you have your interview, you will be able to tell the interviewer about the industry and ask questions such as:

“Where do you see this industry going in the next 3 to 5 years?”
The more questions you ask, and the more you control the interview.

Don’t think of the interview as applying for a job. Think of it as doing an investigation to see if the company or even the industry is right for you. Sometimes you will find that you don’t care for either. What you really want from a first interview is information.

This information includes:

Information on what you will be doing.
Information on the company and company culture.
Information on the industry and the industries main competitors.
RESEARCH THE COMPANY FULLY BEFORE YOUR INTERVIEW

When you have an interview you must do extensive research on a company. For a one-hour interview, you should do 3 hours of research into the company.

When your do research for your interview, look at these things:

Who will be interviewing you?
The company’s website.
The industry the company is in.
It’s main competitors.
The products they sell.
The company culture.
Find out as much as you possibly can about the company before your interview. You will be able to ask pertinent questions about the business, the industry and the people and get much more out of the initial interview.

3) CHOOSE YOUR BOSS WITH CARE

Make sure that you are comfortable with and like your boss. Your boss will have an influence on your pleasure, enjoyment and success in your career more than anyone else.

4) ASK FOR MORE RESPONSIBILITIES

When you finish a task at your new job, don’t sit on your hands and wait for someone to give you a new task. Ask for more responsibility.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASK FOR MORE RESPONSIBILITY:

Your boss grows to trust that if there is a job that needs to be done you can do it.
The more responsibility you ask for, the more you will be rewarded.
Here is a video that recaps my first 4 points, as well as tells a story about how asking for more responsibility, broke my career wide open.



5) CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU LOVE OVER MONEY

This is a time where you are able to really get to know yourself and find what you love to do.

This may be a hard thing to think about in the short run, especially if finding a job is hard.

But think about this:

Would you rather end up in a career that you hate or be doing something that you truly love for the rest of your life?


6) CHECK THESE CAREER WEBSITES FOR LEADS ON GETTING A JOB IN YOUR FIELD


There are hundreds of career websites that you can use to look for jobs. I’ve included a few here:

LinkedIn
Indeed
Simply Hired
Monster
Craigslist

7) YOUR EDUCATION NEVER ENDS

Don’t worry, this is a good thing . . .

You will always be learning new things, reading new books and developing yourself to be the very best version of you. You will be trained in new facets of a position and gain expertise and knowledge.

Be open to this change.

8) USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR NETWORKING

There are always opportunities to network:

Social media websites such as LinkedIn make it easier that before to get in touch with professionals in your field. Many companies who are hiring actively seek out young professionals on LinkedIn. Ensure that you have an updated resume and skills list posted on your profile.

Use Facebook to network with your peers from college. Perhaps they also know someone in an industry you would like to work in.

9) WHAT MICROSOFT, HULU AND JULEP EXECUTIVES HAVE TO SAY

“The ability to learn quickly and adapt quickly is critical no matter what role you’re going in for.” –Julie Green, VP of Digital at Julep

A panel of tech executives at Western University’s Leadership forum discussed career advice for recent grads. Read more about what they said from this blog here.

10) STAY POSITIVE

Always think positively.

Remember these two tips for when you interview:

Your interview starts in the parking lot.
Your interview ends when you leave the building.
Even if you are having trouble in the interview process, always keep a positive outlook.

Preparation, experience, and a positive attitude will eventually lead you to the perfect job for you.


About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined.


Source:
http://www.briantracy.com/blog/business-success/career-advice-tips-for-recent-college-graduates/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=personal-success&utm_content=june615-blog-career-tips-for-graduates

Do you know these amazing facts about water? Check to find out

Scientists all over the world are sure that water was at the very beginning of life. Water is a great phenomenon of the Earth and these features and facts about it can surprise you.

1. Our bones contain about 31% of water.


2. Only 1% of the world’s water is drinkable.




3. About 90% of fresh water in the world is in Antarctica.



4. Hot water can freeze faster than cold water



5. The world record for holding one’s breath under water is 22 minutes


6. The skin is 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%


7. 70% of the human brain is water


8. Somewhere between 70 and 75 % of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.

Adeola Fayehun dares Robert Mugabe!

Adeola Fayehun is at it again! The humorous television presenter who works for SaharaTV last week put Robert Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe on the spot when she asked him when he would step down as president of Zimbabwe. Unsurprisingly, Mugabe, who has spent over thirty years in power, refused to answer her question.

Adeola questioning Mugabe

This scene took place at the venue of the handover ceremony from former president Goodluck Jonathan to President Muhammadu Buhari. The interesting encounter can be seen in the video below:




See also:
http://darasimioshodi.blogspot.com/2014/01/adeola-fayehun-bad-girl-of-nigerian-tv.html

AT LAST! Blatter resigns as FIFA president

Sep Blatter on Tuesday resigned as president of FIFA in a stunning capitulation to critics as a mounting corruption scandal engulfed world football’s governing body.

The 79-year-old Swiss official, FIFA president for 17 years and only reelected on Friday, calmly told a hastily arranged press conference that a special congress would be called as soon as possible to choose a successor.

“I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation,” he told a hastily arranged press conference at the organisation’s Zurich headquarters.

“That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul,” Blatter added.

Blatter did not mention the corruption storm that erupted less than a week ago, but went on: “While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.


“Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA President until that election.”

Blatter has defiantly held off resignation calls for many months amid controversies over the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup to Russia and Qatar and more recently over bribes allegedly taken by top soccer officials.

Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials, including two vice presidents, at a Zurich hotel last Wednesday setting off the latest storm for Blatter.

The arrests were carried out on behalf of US prosecutors who accuse the seven, and eight other suspects, of involvement in $150 million of bribes.

Blatter had repeatedly pleaded his innocence and that of FIFA over the corruption.

“The executive committee includes representatives of confederations over whom we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change,” he reaffirmed in his statement.

Blatter said he would remain in office as an interim leader until the election.

The special congress cannot be held until between December 2015 and March 2016, according to Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s independent audit and compliance committee.

Critics were quick to welcome Blatter’s shock announcement, though some praised him.

“It was a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision,” said UEFA president Michel Platini, a former ally who last week told the FIFA president to his face that he should leave.

English Football Association chief Greg Dyke, one of the fiercest criticis of the FIFA leader, said the resignation was “great for football.”

Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who challenged Blatter in last Friday’s vote, immediately announced that he will be a candidate to take over.

The Jordanian prince withdrew from the race after the first round of voting at the Zurich congress.

Blatter beat him by 133 votes to 73 in the first round, with rock solid support from Asia and Africa seeing him through.

Blatter has been with FIFA for 40 years, starting as a marketing official, becoming secretary general in 1978 and becoming president in 1998, taking over from Joao Havelange, whose long reign was also overshadowed by scandal.

The Swiss official took over an international federation facing financial difficulties and turned it into a multi-billion dollar operation.

In the four years between the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, FIFA made $5.7 billion (5.3 billion euros). The organisation has a cash mountain of $1.5 billion.

But since the first day, scandal has never been far from his office. There were allegations over the vote that elected him in 1998 and the collapse of the ISL sports marketing giant also triggered a crisis at FIFA.

The past four years have been his toughest however. The day after the December 2010 vote that awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups triggered widespread accusations of bribery.

Qatar has strongly denied any wrongdoing but one senior Qatari official, a FIFA vice president, was banned for life amid accusations that he gave bribes.

Swiss police investigating the award of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and raided the FIFA headquarters last Wednesday when the arrests were being carried out at a luxury city hotel.

“It is my deep care for FIFA and its interests, which I hold very dear, that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those who have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as president of FIFA and who have done so much for the game that we all love,” he told the press conference.

“What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner.”

Blatter, stolid throughout the 10 minute appearance, then shook the hand of a member of his staff and calmly walked back to his office.

Questions for Festus Keyamo on president's powers to appoint ministers

I read a write-up by Mr. Festus Keyamo on the powers of the president to appoint ministers. And in this piece, I wrote my thoughts on the write-up. But for the sake of those who might not have read the write-up, I republished it so that they can understand the whole discourse.

Keyamo's argument

The long-held notion in Nigeria that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is under an obligation to appoint at least thirty-seven (37) Ministers into his cabinet is not correct after all – at least by a holistic appreciation of the spirit and letters of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

This notion has been taken for granted that no one has bothered to read the provisions of the Constitution over and over again. And of course, since it suits the politicians to promote this notion, none of them has ever dared to suggest otherwise. But, with the greatest sense of patriotism, I submit that the President can, indeed, appoint far less than thirty-seven (37) Ministers and have a very lean cabinet.

The whole idea of having at least thirty-seven (37) Ministers is derived from section 147(1), (2), (3) and section 302 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which states as follows:

147. MINISTERS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

(1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.

(2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.

(3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of the Constitution:-

provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.

A cursory reading of the above section will lead to a quick conclusion that since we have thirty-six (36) States of the Federation, a Minister from each State would naturally mean that the President must appoint at least thirty-six (36) Ministers from the States. And if you add the Minister for the FCT that section 302 imposes on the President to appoint, then the conclusion would naturally be to have at least thirty-seven (37) Ministers of the Federation. However, I respectfully submit that this long-held notion is built on a faulty premise, a constitutional misunderstanding and a restrictive interpretation of section 147 as quoted above.

Firstly, the Constitution does not stipulate the time-frame within which the President shall appoint Ministers once he assumes office. If that is accepted then it means the President has the whole of the four-year tenure at his disposal to fulfil the Constitutional provision of appointing a Minister each from each State of the Federation.

Secondly, the Constitution does not state that the Ministers so appointed have a fixed term of office. In other words, they are appointed and removed at the pleasure of the President. They are not bound to spend four years in office with the President.

Thirdly, the Constitution does not state that ALL the Ministers from all the thirty-six (36) States and the FCT must be appointed at the same time. To buttress this point, most Presidents in the past have always sent list of Ministers in batches to the Senate for approval and nobody has raised an eyebrow about that. In fact, a close look at subsections (2) and (3) will show that the phrase “any appointment” is consistently used, and not “all appointments”. It means the appointments can be done piecemeal.

Fourthly, the Constitution does not state that all Ministers appointed from each State must enjoy equal tenure of office. The provisions of section 147 shall be satisfied if, during the tenure of that administration, at least a Minister is appointed from each State of the Federation – irrespective of the period of time they spend in office.

Lastly and most importantly, subsection (1) gives the President an absolute discretion to establish “such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation”. That subsection does not circumscribe the discretion of the President to create as many or as little portfolios as he deems fit and is not made subject to subsection (3).

The sum total of all I have said above is that,

(a) If we accept that the President can appoint and remove Ministers at will;

(b) If we accept that the Constitution did not state that all the Ministers from each State must be appointed at the same time;

(c) If we accept that the President is not given a time frame within which he must appoint Ministers upon assuming office;

then we must accept that the President can appoint far less than thirty-seven (37) Ministers in the first instance upon assuming office. But he must ensure that before the end of his tenure as President, he rotates or reshuffles his cabinet in such a way that each State must produce at least a Minister. Of course, this is not suggesting that for the sake of continuity in government, the President cannot appoint thirty-seven (37) or more Ministers from the inception. He can, of course, do that. It is his complete discretion to do so. But nobody should suggest that it is not his discretion to appoint far less than thirty-seven (37) Ministers and reshuffle his cabinet at mid-term or any time at all to accommodate all the States of the Federation.

In sum total, what section 147 of the Constitution merely stipulates is that during the term of office of a President, he must appoint a Minister each from each State of the Federation. The provisions of the section do not state that AT THE BEGINNING of his term of office, he must appoint a Minister each from each State of the Federation.

In conclusion, at this time when President, Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to cut down the size of his cabinet, he may consider drastically reducing the number of Ministers. A large cabinet is an unnecessary drain on our national resources.

I rest my case.

My thoughts/questions

While I commend Mr. Keyamo for this insightful exposition on the provisions of the constitution as regards the appointment of ministers, I want to express my thoughts on this matter and also ask him some questions. Before venturing further, I want to state it clearly that I agree with Barrister Keyamo on the need for President Buhari, and indeed future presidents, to run a lean government. I align myself with his position that the President does not have to appoint 37 ministers at once, even though I guess the writers or drafters of the constitution intended to give every part of country a sense of belonging because of the mutual suspicion with which the various sections relate with each other.

My questions for Mr. Keyamo are as follows:

• Hope there are no lacunae that can be exploited if the constitutional provisions on appointment of ministers are interpreted and implemented the in line with Mr. Keyamo's argument.
• What happens if a president fails to appoint a minister each from all the states of the federation before his tenure ends? Does the constitution make any provision for such an eventuality? Will he be tried in court after his term? Or is a refusal to appoint ministers from all states of the federation not a constitutional infraction?
• How will a court trial after a person's term in office assuage the feelings of those who felt marginalised during such a president's time in office? Or will those who feel marginalised go to court some months to the expiration of a president's tenure?
• At what point should they decide to go to court? Two years to the end of the president's tenure? One year? Six months?

My questions may seem improbable but I think I have raised some possibilities that may arise from following Mr. Keyamo's argument.

President Jonathan’s speech at handover ceremony (Full text)

REMARKS BY

HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR,

ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF HAND OVER NOTES

TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT,

MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR

THURSDAY, 28TH MAY, 2015



PROTOCOLS

I welcome you all to this occasion of the formal presentation of the Hand-over notes of my Administration to the in-coming Administration of the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.


This event and tomorrow’s inauguration of a new administration are truly historic as it is the first time in the history of our nation that we are witnessing the democratic and orderly transfer of power at the Federal level from one political party to another.


The Hand-over notes which we now present, contain the governance philosophy, strategies, policies, programmes and activities of my Administration for the period – 2011-2015. Also to be found in the notes are the objectives, targets and implementation strategies, achievements and challenges of our key policies, schemes, initiatives as well as the status of commitments and liabilities of the various MDAs.


As we hand over the affairs of the nation, it is appropriate to recall that at inception, in May 2011, we committed ourselves to consolidating national unity through democratization and good governance. Our assessment then, and our firm belief ever since, is that the unity of Nigeria, the security, well-being, greater freedoms and opportunities for all citizens must remain the primary objectives of government.


The Agenda for National Transformation which we did our best to implement consisted of clear and consistent governance strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects, in all facets of our national life. Emphasis was placed on human and state security, democratization, sound economic management, as well as structural and institutional reforms.


Our foremost concern was the unity of Nigeria.In keeping with that concern, we engineered a process that began with a review of issues outstanding from previous Constitutional Conferences by the Belgore Committee. After that, we widened political consultations through a National Dialogue that was orchestrated through the Okurounmu Committee. These culminated in the all-inclusive National Conference which unanimously reaffirmed that Nigeria must remain united and indivisible.


The Conference also made resolutions and recommendations for serious constitutional, political and governance reforms, which we have forwarded to the National Assembly for appropriate legislative action. It is our hope that the incoming Government will accord the Report of the National Conference the very high priority that it deserves, as a genuine expression of the will of our people.


The recognition that the starting point for good governance is the legitimacy of the government itself informed our commitment to promoting free and fair elections.


It also motivated innovations in the management and conduct of elections which we undertook. Hopefully, in the years ahead, those innovations will be properly and fully implemented so that Nigerians will be even more assured of the integrity of the electoral system and the legitimacy of any government that it produces.


 To strengthen the social contract between the government and the governed, we institutionalized the rule of law as well as the independence of the legislature and the judiciary. We also promoted group and individual freedoms. As a result, there is vast expansion in democratic, social and economic space for all citizens.


11.Our nation and citizens faced many new challenges over the past four years but the greatest was the vastly increased menace of Boko Haram with their mindless terror, mass killings, utter ruthlessness, kidnapping of innocent children and other unspeakable acts of brutality.



  We should all remember that Boko Haram’s emergence predated our administration going as far back as 2002. The group however became extremely malignant with the killing of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf in July 2009.


  It therefore became an urgent task for us to effectively confront the great threat Boko Haram posed to the security and well-being of our people. To do so, we overhauled and virtually reinvented our security architecture to confront Boko Haram and its insurgency. We re-organized our security apparatus. We re-equipped and fully motivated our forces.


  Victory is now in sight and within our reach. However, the cost in blood of citizens and heroes; and the diversion of national treasure from urgent needs for development have been very high. While more than 500 women and children have been rescued from the clutches of Boko Haram thus far by our security forces, it remains my sincere hope and prayer that our beloved daughters from Chibok will soon be reunited with us.


  I wish to thank the Nigerian people for their resilience and patience. I also wish to pay very special and personal tribute to all the men and women of our valiant armed forces and security agencies. Their sacrifice and dedication have brought us thus far.


  While striving to overcome our national security challenges, we still gave necessary attention to economic development. Our goal was to achieve long-term economic growth and stability, improve the quality and quantum of infrastructure and enhance human capital development.


  Our financial system reforms included the Treasury Single Account [TSA] that unified the structure of government accounts for all MDAs and thereby brought order to cash flow management; and Government Integrated Financial Management Information System [GIFMIS] was introduced to plug leakages and waste of resources. The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System [IPPIS] weeded out 60,450 ghost workers in 359 out of 425 MDAs, yielding N185.4 billion in savings to the Federal government.


Improved Revenue Mobilization was achieved through improvements in the laws and compliance measures. In 2013 alone, these measures resulted in a 69% rise in Federal tax revenues from N2.8 trillion to N4.8 trillion. Also, Waiver Policy and Trade Facilitation were reformed to create a more rational regime. Our emphasis shifted to granting waivers to specific sectors instead of individual companies and the Sovereign Wealth Fund was established to provide stabilization from external shocks, provide funding for critical infrastructure and savings for future generations.


  Our Financial Sector reforms addressed the issues of inefficiencies in the coordination and monitoring of the financial system. Our policies promoted transparency, better risk management, new banking models and payment systems. We established the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria as a resolution mechanism for toxic banking assets. We strengthened banking supervision and enhanced public confidence in Nigerian Banks.


Similarly, we undertook innovative reforms for job creation and repositioned the manufacturing, agriculture and housing sectors. Specifically, it was observed that over the years, job creation did not keep pace with economic growth. Thus unemployment, especially amongst the youth was assuming alarming dimensions.


  To address this, my administration made job creation a key consideration for all programmes in the Transformation Agenda. Emphasis was also shifted towards empowering youths to become entrepreneurs rather than job seekers, through such initiatives as Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOU-WIN), Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), the SURE-P Technical Vocational Education and Training Programme (TVET) and the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP).


Manufacturing in Nigeria faces many challenges, including poor power supply, high cost of input, high cost of doing business, multiple taxation, poor infrastructure and lack of synergy with the labour market. To address these problems, we launched several programmes and initiatives including the National Industrial Revolution Plan and a new National Automobile Policy designed to boost domestic car production and expand existing capacity. Since then, five new private vehicle assembly plants have been established.


Agriculture is critical to national survival and yet the sector was besieged with many problems. By year 2010, Nigeria was the second largest importer of food in the world, spending about N1.3 trillion on the importation of fish, rice and sugar alone.


The reforms we introduced in agriculture dramatically increased local production of staple food and saved us vast amounts of money that we would have spent on the importation of food items.


To address the glaring inadequacy of critical national infrastructure, we focused on the Power Sector, Roads, Railways, Aviation, Ports and Harbours as well as on Water and Sanitation, Information and Communication Technology.


My government introduced the Power Sector Roadmap in 2010.Since then, we have privatized the generation and distribution aspects in a most transparent process. Obstacles to the private sector investments in power supply were removed and we developed cost effective electricity tariff to make the sector more attractive. It remains our hope that the successor companies to PHCN and also the private sector will step forward with the necessary investment to make the power reform work.


The major challenge in the road sector in Nigeria is the high cost of building roads and it continues to rise. The other challenge is the fact that because of regular use, roads are one of the fastest depreciating assets in developing countries.


To address this, Government has developed the required legal and regulatory framework and created opportunities for Private Public Partnership (PPP) in road construction and maintenance.


From Ore/Benin Road, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway to the Kano/Maiduguri dualisation projects, we made concerted efforts to address age-long problems of delays in construction, design defect, neglect and ineffective maintenance. The construction of the historic Second Niger Bridge has also commenced, and on completion, it will open new and far-reaching opportunities for greater trade and interaction among our people.


In the Aviation Sector, our government developed a Master Plan to institutionalise safety and security, and to develop infrastructure at the airports and local airlines. We embarked on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 22 airports nationwide. Construction work on five new international terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu are also on-going.


There has been a revolution in rail transportation. We rehabilitated the old narrow gauge network and ensured that it has served our people steadily for three years running with new coaches and improved expanded services nationwide.


We are in the construction stages of a new national network for standard gauge speed-train services, with the new rail line segment, from Abuja to Kaduna, successfully completed. In addition, we have initiated the process for the construction of an ultramodern coastal rail line that will run from Lagos to Calabar, with a link to Onitsha.


We have also successfully completed the dredging of River Niger, from Warri in Delta State to Baro in Niger State, and completed construction works for the Onitsha River Port. Other River Ports at Baro, Lokoja and Oguta, are at advanced construction stages. Working with the states and development partners, we have facilitated the process towards the development of two new deep sea ports at Lekki in Lagos, and Ibaka in Akwa Ibom. We have also implemented reforms to streamline the clearing regime in existing ports, increasing cargo turnover time and easing business for all users.


In the oil and gas sector, our local content policy has continued to empower Nigerian companies, particularly in technical and engineering projects. The Gas Revolution Industrial Park in Delta State is unprecedented in the subsector, and will not only deliver Africa’s biggest industrial park, but all the accompanying benefits to local industry and job creation.


We recognized Human Capital as the most important agent for transformational development. Our reforms in this sector focused on Health, Education and Social Development and also on Women and Youth Empowerment and Social Safety Nets.


In the Health sector, the comprehensive National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) of 2011 laid the foundation for widening access and improving the quality of healthcare with lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy for the populace.Our effective curtailment of the Ebola epidemic has continued to receive worldwide acclaim as an example in prompt and effective national disease management. On our watch, guinea-worm has been eradicated from Nigeria and we are on the verge of wiping out polio entirely.




In the Education sector, our objectives are clear and precise. They emphasise expansion of access and the upgrade of quality. I am proud that we have widened access by establishing 18 more Federal Universities and other specialized polytechnics. We strengthened TETFUND and used it to boldly address the problems of inadequate infrastructure in the existing institutions.


I am particularly proud of our efforts with regards to Early Childhood Education and Out-of-School Children. We provided modern hybrid Almajiri Education Programme in the North, attended to schooling needs of boys in the South-East and ensured the construction of special girls’ schools in 13 States of the Federation to improve girl-child education. We expanded opportunities for open and distance learning and provided scholarships at all levels to help improve access to quality education for bright and promising Nigerians.


We have promoted gender-mainstreaming with commensurate priority and opportunities for our womenfolk, beginning with ensuring that not less than 30 per cent of key Federal appointments go to women. Other initiatives that we have taken include: the National Gender Policy, Establishment of Gender Units in Federal MDAs, Women Empowerment Training Programmes, Micro-Credit for Women, Social Safety Net Programmes and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme.


My Administration has emphasized giving a free hand to our Anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). We preferred that they mature into strong institutions instead of being the images, the hammer and the anvil of a strong man. We must encourage them to abide by the rule of law and due process instead of resorting to dramatic or illegal actions orchestrated for cheap applause.


Beyond the very impressive records of enhanced convictions by statutory anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and ICPC, our other strategy has been to fashion economic policies that deliver higher deterrence and frustrate concealment. In this regard, the Bureau of Public Procurement has played a central role and impacted strongly on the fight against corruption.


In Sports, we have improved our national performance in team and individual events. The disappointment of not qualifying to defend our African Football Championship was cushioned by a decent FIFA World Cup appearance, an Under-17 World Cup win in addition to other victories in other international football tournaments and the Paralympics. We have also encouraged excellence in other sports, apart from football, resulting in exceptional performance in international sporting events, especially in athletics.


Our foreign policy position remains strong. In October 2013, Nigeria was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the second time on our watch. Our country had only served in that capacity thrice before 2011, since independence in 1960. Our Administration also played a leading role in the resolution of security and political challenges in our sub-region, particularly in Niger, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso.


In addition, we increased engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora who contribute so much in remittances to their fatherland. Our Administration successfully encouraged more of them to invest in Nigeria and others to return home and join in the task of nation-building.


In summary, Your Excellency, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our administration has done its best to intervene robustly and impact positively on key aspects of our national life.


There is no doubt that challenges still abound, but they are surmountable and overwhelming national transformation remains realisable, with continuity, commitment and consistency.


Nigeria is blessed with citizens that will always remain faithful, firmly committed to national unity, accelerated political, social and economic development.


As we hand over the reins of government, I believe that our nation is secure, our democracy is stable, and the future is bright. Let us all work together, and with greater resolve, continue to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.


May God Almighty continue to bless our dear country, Nigeria.


I thank you all.

My idea of Buhari's presidency by Levi Akorede

Nobody can achieve anything on earth except it be given unto him from above.

While I was a younger chap and I met people from overseas and listened to them talk about the "heavens" which they lived in, my naive and sincere judgement was always that these people were just exaggerating or just unnecessarily arrogant with what luck fate had bestowed on them. But now, I am in their position and I know more.

I have pondered on why the larger percentage of those who voted during the presidential election in Nigeria voted for the retired army general and I have been able to understand that more than ever before, the vast majority of Nigerian people have more hope and expectations from the man than any other person in the history of leadership in Nigeria. I was initially opposed to the candidature of the president-elect Mohammadu Buhari but eventually came to term with the fact that an old man like Buhari may be the way out of the confusion which was had visibly taken over the helms of affairs in Nigeria prior the election. Who could have gotten an overwhelming majority vote among the candidates that signified the intention to wrestle the presidency with Goodluck Jonathan? Kwankwanso, Atiku or who? The hope of the average Nigerian was tied to the apron of Baba Buhari.

The expectations of Nigerians are so vast and high concerning the person of Mohammadu Buhari. Someone asked why think Buhari can navigate us through this pestilential experience. My response was he can if he really wants to. The Bible makes no mistake in identifying how big a man with authority is. Buhari now has the authority to do and undo. Our hope of a better Nigeria is heaped on this person. He will make the difference. There abound in world history very many figures whom their countries brought to power for the sole purpose of rescuing the nations from both political and economic catastrophe. General Dwight Eisenhower of the United States was a military commander who became the president of the US. There was also Wiston Churchill of Great Britain. I have no doubt that Buhari will be ranked among these men of honor.

My idea of what the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari will be is a nation where the people will be proud to identify with the country just like America and Saudi Arabia. I see a country where university lecturers will teach all through the year without a threat of strike. A country where there will be an end to importation of matches, etc. A country who produces for herself. A country where the citizens' right is protected as enshrined in the constitution of the country. A country where money does not develop wings and escape through the airports and borders. A country where criminals are dully prosecuted. A country where you hide your head when you live with an undisclosed and illegal source of wealth. A country where there's the stoppage of the sole activity of irresponsible political class who steals the taxes paid by civil servants. A country where students can study on scholarships and grants. A country where I will ask myself what am I doing outside when my colleagues are doing well at home. A country where young unemployed graduates don't have to buy employment application forms, become professional scammers or armed robbers before they eat. A country devoid of ethnic militia, etc.

Buhari can achieve all these if you support the wind of change blowing across the country through this man. Muhammadu Buhari has nobody on earth to fear except the almighty God who will ask him the account of his actions and inactions on earth. I see Buhari Muhammadu putting Nigeria back where we belong in our big brother position among our fellow African nations. It's embarrassing to see other smaller countries talk down on Nigeria. I remember Chad telling the world some months ago that their military men don't run away like Nigerian Army.

Unto whom much is given, much is expected. Nigerians have vested hope and trust in Mohammadu Buhari. We voted outside religious beliefs, orientations and boundaries. God help GMB. I remain a loyal and honest Nigerian. Nigeria first, my party second. God bless Nigeria.

I'm Levi Akorede
05/15/2015
Dallas, Texas