The Goodluck Jonathan-led government will focus on seven streamlined agenda over the course of the next one year, Oronto Douglas, the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on documentation and strategy, said yesterday in Washington DC.

Mr. Douglas, who delivered a speech on ‘Nigeria: Priorities for the Year ahead’ at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), ahead of a visit to the city by Mr. Jonathan, said the new policy signals continuity in government, but with additional vigour, urgency, and fresh perspectives.

The new agenda listed by Mr. Douglas include: electoral reforms to enthrone electoral integrity and strengthen democracy in Nigeria; resolving the Niger Delta crisis and enthrone a sustainable framework for the development of the region, while accelerating investment; reform and strengthen the energy sector, through a strong and viable Petroleum Industry Act; and a recalibration of our approach to eliminating energy poverty in Nigeria.

Others are: expand national capacity in the agricultural sector as part of the overall strategy to promote food security, and diversify the economy; strengthen the financial services sector; enhance anti-corruption and anti-money laundry initiatives; and promote Human Rights and eliminate impunity.

“The Acting President believes that of all the challenges Nigeria currently faces, instituting electoral integrity is the greatest as it has a corresponding impact on all sectors,” Mr. Douglas declared.

A strong balance

He also said the federal government will, this year, accomplish the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill into law because the acting president seeks to maintain a strong balance of foreign investment and local participation. “Nigeria seeks greater benefit from its oil and gas resources, but we still value our partnerships with western IOCs, even though the Chinese, the Russians, and others have recently shown a tendency towards competitiveness,” he said.

“We must, therefore, deepen dialogue but swiftly move to accomplish an oil and gas regime that is equitable, stable, and sustainable, and above all, community and environment friendly.”

Mr. Douglas also said Nigeria will strengthen its war against corruption and called on the United States to support the country’s renewal.

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