President Muhammadu Buhari has claimed that no previous administration has created an environment as friendly and viable for Nigerian businesses as done by his government.
Buhari stated this when he hosted members of the business community and leaders of political parties for an Iftar dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
‘‘No administration has done as much as we have done in the creation of a climate best suited for business, big and small, to thrive.
‘‘The ease of doing business index that is globally recognized has acknowledged that the ease with which business is carried out in the country has never been better than it is today. We will continue to make it better.
‘‘We will equally continue to count on the support of the private sector to improve economic growth and create new job opportunities for our teeming population,” Buhari’s senior media adviser, Femi Adesina, quoted the president to have said at the dinner.
Buhari urged the private sector to complement his administration’s effort in poverty reduction and job creation for the young people.
‘‘Employment is critical to the stability and prosperity of our country. Government and the private sector, working together, have an opportunity to transform the lives of people in ways that was hard to imagine in the past,’’ he said.
The president also urged all political parties to keep their differences aside and support his government to fight insecurity in the country.
According to Adesina, the president described insecurity as a ‘‘common enemy’’ bedevilling the country.
‘‘Without mass, popular support to our hard working Armed Forces, it will take us much longer to finish off the successful war we are waging against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
”Our country must be kept safe for progress and prosperity to be entrenched.
‘‘I look forward to seeing the reflection of this spirit in the relationship between the parties and the government, especially as the electioneering season will soon be on us.
‘‘Today, we can proudly say that we have a political system that allows political parties of all views and persuasions, reflecting the diversity of our nation to co-exist, and contest for elections at all levels of government without fear or institutional bias and pressure,’’ he said.
Speaking at the event, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, urged leaders of political parties to make firm commitments towards peaceful and successful 2023 general elections.