[size=14pt]DEREGULATION: Jonathan writes Nigerians •Says I’m building Nigeria of the future •Cement importation stops 2012[/size]

Written by Taiwo Adisa, Akin Adewakun and Ayomide Owonibi
Wednesday, 21 December 2011

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan may have taken the decision to directly communicate with Nigerians on the critical issues contained in his government’s agenda

as enunciated in the 2012 budget.

The president, in an electronic mail message sent to Nigerians on Tuesday and entitled Let's Talk Economics, said his government targeted economic prosperity in its bid to create a new Nigeria.

Jonathan revealed that he has placed a ban on foreign rice in the Presidential Villa and ordered that only Ofada rice and bread with local cassava input be henceforth served at the Villa as a way of promoting local rice production.

The e-mail sent from the president's personal mail box read in part:

Dear, ,

“Thank you for your support and prayers for Nigeria. I would like to take a few minutes of your time to discuss the current state of our economy with you.

“My vision for our economy, which is encompassed in the Budget Proposal I just tabled before a Joint Session of the National Assembly is to transform Nigeria into a productive economy that maximises its comparative advantage within the larger global context, for the benefit of all Nigerians. The ambition is to transform Nigeria into one of the world’s top 20 economies by the year 2020, hence Budget 2012 emphasises a number of themes, including fiscal consolidation, inclusive growth and job creation.

“I have pledged between now and 2015 to reduce Nigeria’s recurrent expenditure and increase capital expenditure (projects, infrastructure, social services, etc). Already, the budget proposal I presented this year has a 2.4% reduction in our recurrent expenditure from last year. This is backed by the determination to also ensure prudent spending and a greater system wide emphasis on due process, transparency, integrity and accountability.

"I envision a country that lives within its means and our plans between now and 2015 is to reduce borrowing to the barest minimum and I am glad to report that in the budget proposal I laid before the National Assembly, there has been a huge drop in Nigeria’s borrowings.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/33143-deregulation-jonathan-writes-nigerians-says-im-building-nigeria-of-the-future-cement-importation-stops-2012-

Very commendable if it happens

Why is it commendable?.