President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, on the occasion of the country’s 54th independence anniversary gave his administration a passmark for delivering on most indicators of good governance. President Jonathan also called on members of the Boko Haram sect to lay down their arms and embrace peace, saying anybody who has genuine grievances would be heard. He said the country will ensure the safety of every Nigerian, adding that the country’s armed forces need support to fight the terrorists.
But the President’s award of a pass mark to his administration came on a day the Mo Ibrahim Foundation released the 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, IIAG, which ranked Nigeria 37th out of 52 in the overall governance scale, rating the nation 45.8 per cent lower than the African average (51.5 per cent). The country scored lower than the regional average for West Africa which stands at 52.2 per cent and ranked 12th out of 15 in the region.
According to the President, his administration is committed to making Nigeria safe for all Nigerians, irrespective of their places of birth, religion and political persuasions.
“To all those waging war against our country, I ask that you lay down your arms and embrace peace. To those who have genuine grievances, I affirm that Nigeria will listen to you, if you bring your grievances to the table of dialogue,” he said.
He reassured Nigerians that his administration remains committed to the “task of building a better and greater country.”