It is gratifying to observe that at the turn of new decade 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari, has decided to get closer to his Nigerian Constituency through the art of “letter writing”, which is actually not an innovation but a diplomatic stunt to get filial attention from the entire grassroots who secured the electoral platform which brought him to power for the second term in office and as their trusted confidant, leader and number one citizen of the Federal Republic, whose testimony could be taken to the bank!

Nigerians are not unaware that the President is on the last lap of his mandate which will definitely terminate constitutionally on 29th May, 2023, and that he has debunked insinuations from various quarters of tenure elongation in any form because he had no such ambition!

To prove his genuine intentions, he rolled out an impressive resume of immediate and subsequent plans to conclude all mapped-out plans to push closer dividends of democracy to the entire populace irrespective of party affiliation through several aggressive moves of fresh political, socio-economic and security thrusts to ensure dividends of democracy to the masses as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, by rolling out new drives to ensure actualization of all mapped-out strategies to assert the second term mandate of four years given to him by the Nigerian electorate from 29th May, 2019 to 29th May, 2023!

In his Year 2020 Letter to Nigerians, President Buhari left no one in doubt that he would put in his best to leave behind a convincing legacy that he achieved even beyond expectations of several detractors of his second term appointment to further serve his nation with honesty, diligence, probity and with the intention to build on the foundations already laid on security, diversification of the economy and ruthlessly attacking the “curse of corruption” to destroy it from foundation, ensure more stable, sustainable and more prosperous future for all Nigerians.

The President debunked all allegations and intentions of any THIRD TERM – elongation of office beyond 2023, which he believed was the imaginations/machinations of his detractors! He promised to strengthen the electoral process in his second and final term, win the battle against violent extremists, cultists and organised criminal networks with a view to restoring peace to the North East and by extension to other geo-political zones through co-operation with all State Governors, neighbouring West African States, and international partners and tackling the tide of violent extremism and networks that finance and organize terror, kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery!

THE PRESIDENT DEALT EXTENSIVELY ON THE NAGGING ISSUE OF INSECURITY AND FOCUSED ON THE CHALLENGE OF WINNING PEACE!
He promised in his letter to intensify the challenge to win peace, reconstruct lives, communities/markets through the North East Development Commission (NEDC), which will work with local and international stakeholders to help create a new beginning for the region. The President promised to address the root cause of violent extremism/terror and re-organize the security forces, provide them with best training, modern weaponry to increase their professionalism and respect for human rights by providing them with sophisticated technological resources to professionally tackle kidnappings, banditry/armed robbery in all sectors of the economy, through increased recruitment by the new Ministry of Police Affairs!

YEAR 2020 STRATEGIES!
According to his address, the year 2020 would witness gradual implementation of all of the above, including aggressive power generation to address ease-of-doing-business across board in transportation, second Niger bridge, Lagos –Ibadan Express Way, Abuja –Kano Highway, Lagos-Kano Rail Line in collaboration with private sector partners; not leaving out new international airport terminals in Kano and Lagos in this new year to impact business operations which fiscal feasibility/sustainability, would attract both government and private sector investments. Year 2020 will also witness opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, increased value from oil and gas which will operate on commercial principles and free from political interference in order to deliver a more competitive, attractive and profitable industry.

THE LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS AS AN ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC RESOURCE!
The President in Council, late December, 2019, approved a fair framework for the USD 10 billion expansion of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, which will increase exports by 35%, restore Nigeria’s position as a world leader in the sector and create thousands of jobs for the nation’s jobless youths!

There was also the amendment of the Deep Offshore Act of October 2019 which signalled the nation’s intention to create a modern forward-looking industry in Nigeria. The President believes that vibrant youth population would also play vital role to accelerate the pace of change in technology in the decade ahead in a way that it would benefit the nation through the huge opportunities it offers. He also re-stated his 2019 Democracy Day promise to lay the enduring foundations to take a hundred million Nigerians out of mass poverty over the next ten years through reforms in education, health care and water sanitation through the support of international donor agencies who would work with States and Local Governments to ensure continuity.
Workers are to enjoy living wages while pensioners will be succoured through clearance of arrears and benefits that have been long neglected adding that implementation of the approved 2020 Budget would take off seamlessly and commended the 9th National Assembly (NASS) for their co-operation with the Executive in restoring the January to December Budget cycle to ensure the Nigerian Decade of prosperity etc, etc.

SOME PROJECTS TO RECEIVE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION IN 2020!
47 road projects scheduled for completion in 2020/2021, including roads leading to ports.
Major bridges including substantial work on the Second Niger Bridge;
Completion of 13 housing estates under the National Housing Project Plan.
Lagos, Kano, Maiduguri and Enugu international airports to be commissioned in 2020.
Launching of an agricultural rural mechanisation scheme that will cover 700 Local Governments over a period of three years;
Launching of Livestock Development Project Grazing Model in Gombe State where 200,000 hectares of land has been identified;
Training of 50,000 workers to complement the country’s 7,000 extension workers;
Commissioning of the Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri rail lines in the first quarter;
Commencement of the Ibadan – Abuja and Kano-Kaduna rail lines also in the first quarter;
Further liberalisation of the Power Sector to allow businesses to generate and sell power;
Commencement of the construction of the Mambilla Power project by the first half of 2020; and
Commencement of the construction of the AKK gas pipeline, OB3 gas pipeline and the expansion of the Escravos - Lagos pipeline in the first quarter of 2020.

HISTORY OF NIGERIAN VISION 20:2020!
The purpose of the Vision 20:2020 was conceived since 2007 by the Federal Government, for Nigeria to qualify to be among the 20 largest global economies by the year 2020, through deliberate planning by technocrats! Building a solid foundation for Vision 2020 through the National Council established for that purpose in an itemized thematic areas numbering 36 and focussed in all areas of the economy ranging from poverty alleviation/developmental issues to revenue allocation, public and financial management, capital market development, micro small and medium scale enterprises, agriculture and value chain, manufacturing solid mineral development, banking and finance, education, health, manufacturing, macro economy, agriculture, transport , housing water etc, etc! Nigeria should be able to consolidate its leadership position in Africa and establish itself as a significant player in the global economic and political arena by year 2020!

Funding of the 2020 Vision: A Business Support Group (BSG), an initiative of the National Steering Committee of Vision 2020, made up of dynamic and visionary business leaders and entrepreneurs of repute and distinction was established to engender private sector support for the Nigeria Vision 2020 process through technical and financial support, organized fund-raising activities and mobilize resources from the private sector of the economy and update the President as at when due on progress and outcomes of its activities.

IS NIGERIA ONE OF THE 20 LARGEST GLOBAL ECONOMIES NOW IN THE YEAR 2020?
The 20:2020 Vision could not be actualized as envisaged but significant achievements were made in the areas of agriculture, natural mineral resources, since the partial border closure since 20th August, 2019. According to the summarised table of the list of African countries by GDP (PPP), Nigeria has the third-highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP), at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), among African countries 91,168.399 million international dollars).
The top ten African countries by GDP(PPP) are: Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Ethiopia, Angola, Sudan, Libya. Although, there was no significant success in the actualization of dream 2020, the All Progressive Congress (APC), Change Administration has made significant thrust into the extended economic programme which is now tagged 2030 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs), through all of the itemised economic activities which must be meticulously executed and re-road Nigeria back for massive economic growth in this new direction of the sustainable growth! President Buhari and his economic team should be given the support by all patriotic Nigerians to actualize his lofty programmes by shunning all forms of negative/antagonistic diversionary tendencies sponsoring or encouraging crimes, through criminal connivance, which are vices against sustainable economic growth, just because they are sworn enemies of progress!
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.(Prov 22.29)

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066. G-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.