Buhari’s Administration Has Broken Many Jinxes, Says Presidency

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Presidency yesterday listed policies, legislations, and projects completed by President Muhammadu Buhari since he came into power in 2015 to include signing of 15 bills into law and completion of 17 major projects across the country.

Buhari’s media adviser, Femi Adesina, in a statement, titled, “Jinxes broken by Buhari,” listed the Petroleum Industry Bill, signed into law in 2021 after almost two decades in the works, as one of the major feats of the president.

According to the statement, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) also recently announced its first profit in its 44-year history under Buhari, who doubles as Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Adesina stated that the Buhari administration launched the first National Social Investment Programme in the country’s history, stressing that it is today the largest Social Investment Programme in Africa and one of the largest in the world. He also mentioned the restoration of the Federal Budget to a January-to-December cycle, after more than a decade.

Adesina recounted other successes of the Buhari government to include, “Finance Acts 2019 and 2020 – the first time ever that federal budgets are being accompanied by dedicated and specific reform legislation, to support implementation. Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018: another unprecedented piece of legislation in Nigeria. Treasury Single Account (TSA) started in 2012, expanded across the entire government by President Buhari.”

On projects, the media adviser said Buhari was the first president to start and complete a rail project in Nigeria’s history (Lagos-Ibadan Rail). He said the president had completed 12 inherited dam projects across the country. These he listed to include Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, Taraba; Ogwashi-Uku Multipurpose Dam, Delta; Adada Dam, Enugu; Sulma Earth Dam, Katsina; Gimi Earth Dam, Kaduna; Amla-Otukpo Dam, Benue; Amauzari Earth Dam, Imo; Ibiono-Ibom Earth Dam, Akwa Ibom; Gadau/Lafia Zigau Dam, Bauchi; Alajue Small Earth Dam, Osun; Kampe Omi Dam, Kogi (Rehabilitation); and Kargo Dam, Kaduna (Rehabilitation).

Other achievements listed by Adesina include, “Deep Offshore and Inland Basin (Production Sharing Contracts) Act, 2019, amended for the first time since 1993. More than $6 billion of inherited cash call arrears now being cleared by the Buhari administration, since 2016.

“Also, more than $3 billion of the arrears (payments due to International Oil Companies) have since been paid. The Buhari administration has overseen the first successful Marginal Fields Bid Round in almost 20 years. In addition, the Buhari administration has launched the first National Social Investment Programme in the country’s history.

“Today it is the largest Social Investment Programme in Africa and one of the largest in the world. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was established in 2011, and for its first seven years did not have an enabling Act of the National Assembly — until 2018, when President Buhari assented to the NCDC Act.”

Adesina listed others to include:, “The Nigeria Police Act 2020, the first overhaul of the Police Act since it was originally enacted in 1943; Nigeria Correctional Service Act, 2019 – overhauled the existing Prisons Act, almost 50 years after it was first enacted.

“The Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act (SPOMO), 2019 – the first of its kind in the entire Gulf of Guinea, dedicated to prosecuting maritime offences.

“CAMA, 2020 – the first overhaul of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) in 30 years. Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018: another unprecedented piece of legislation in Nigeria.

“Itakpe-Warri Rail Line, started in 1987, abandoned for decades, and finally completed in 2020; the completion of four standard gauge railway projects between 2016 and 2021: Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line, Abuja Metro Line, Itakpe-Warri Rail Line, and Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line.

“President Buhari is the first president to start and complete a rail project in Nigeria’s history (Lagos-Ibadan Rail). The last NLNG Train project (Train 6) was completed in 2008. President Buhari has successfully flagged off Train 7 construction.

“Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki Expressway, undergoing full reconstruction for the first time since it was constructed in the late 1970s. Bodo-Bonny Bridges and Road: construction finally kicked off in 2017, after several decades of planning, and three false starts.”