Says we must give hope to the hopeless

President Muhammadu Buhari says he has directed that $21m out of the $100m Nigeria pledged to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) be released within this week to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency.

He disclosed this in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday while presiding over a meeting of the African Union Peace Security Council at the ongoing 25th AU summit.

The president told the gathering that Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger were, under the auspicies of the Multinational Joint Task Force, already working to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency.

"In this regard, the member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin met recently where far reaching decisions were taken to immediately put into operations, the Multinational Joint Task Force. To this end, the summit approved the immediate provision of $30m for the Multinational Joint Task Force.

"Consequently, out of the pledge of $100 million which Nigeria made to the Multinational Joint Task Force, I have directed that $21 million be released within the next one week", President Buhari said.

He noted that the continent was faced with conflicts of diverse forms as manifested in the crises in Burkina Faso, Mali, Libya, Central Africa Republic, South Sudan and more recently, in Burundi.

Buhari reminded the leaders of the commitment they had made, during the African Union 50th anniversary in 2013, to the objective of "silencing the local guns" in Africa by 2020.

He, however, stated that with just five years remaining, the prospect of realizing that objective appeared doubtful "with pockets, individuals country and the continent as a whole".

He said: "We're witnesses to the rampant destruction of homes, roads, communications lines, vital infrastructures and displacement of persons, not to mention terrible loss of lives. This is true, I must add, of the north-east of Nigeria where we're dealing with the scourge of Boko Haram".

He said though the insurgents had extended their reach to Nigeria's neighbours, their activities were not necessarily limited to those immediate countries as terrorism is a global phenomenon with linkages across the globe.

According to him, given this dimension of global terror, there is a need for the continent to accordingly act in brotherhood and partnership to fight its common goals against agents of evil.

The president also stressed the need to immediately change the face of Africa and give hope to the hopeless.

"We must change the face of Africa. We must give hope to the hopeless. The time to do so is now as we look forward to the much awaited 2020 to deliver a continent that is at peace with itself prosperous, a global partner and a democratic showcase", he said.

Buhari suggested that since the meeting was aimed at discussing the situations in South Sudan and Burundi, the leaders should put those situations in a proper context.

According to him, "the people of these countries are suffering, while their political leaders are bickering among themselves".

The president said it was incumbent on African leaders to always place the interests of their countries above "narrow and personal interests".

He said it was therefore his expectations that at the end of the summit, the AU Peace Security Council would come out with a united message to urge all parties to act in the interest of their people and the entire continent.

"This is my first time of attending this meeting, AU Peace Security Council. I have the responsibility of preceding over this meeting by the virtue of the fact that Nigeria is the chairman for the month of June 2015. I am also pleased that you have responded positively to my invitation", Buhari had earlier told the gathering .

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/news/21040-b-haram-buhari-orders-release-of-21m-to-mjtf

Biko do fast let the northern economy bounce back.

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OK, Good one ..next ..
..baba you need to increase your pace.

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It's Not all about releasing funds but making sure they channel it to the low ranks and files .

Now we'll see how those pot belly generals will mismanage the fund.

Buhari $100million is much better and would be put to good used than Jonathan's $6billion.

Addme:
Now we'll see how those pot belly generals will mismanage the fund.

They know the kind of leader they have now, they won't dare.

Watching in 3D