Nigeria will exit recession early in 2021, says Lawan

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has assured Nigerians that adequate measures had been put in place by the legislative and executive arms of government to ensure the country’s early exit from economic recession in the New Year.

Lawan gave the assurance in his New Year message to Nigerians, which was released to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

He lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the country to experience another economic recession in 2020 shortly after it recovered from a similar one.

He, however, said fiscal policies and legislation jointly put in place by the executive and the legislative arms of government would soon make the recession a thing of the past.

He said, “We believe that allowing the implementation of this outstanding capital component of the 2020 budget to run concurrently with the 2021 budget will inject more funds to the economy.

“Also on our priority list in 2021 is the amendment to the 1999 Constitution, which is the grundnorm (basic norm) of our being together as a nation.  The process, which started in 2020, requires extensive consultations and the buy in of everybody.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, have congratulated Nigerians for witnessing the New Year 2021 despite the challenges faced in 2020.

Both Gbajabiamila and Wase, in separate statements issued on Thursday, urged Nigerians to remain hopeful for a better country, while urging them to pray for their leaders.

The New Year message issued by the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, was titled ‘New Year: Let’s keep hope alive, remain positive, Gbajabiamila urges Nigerians.’

The Speaker said, “In this New Year, let us remain resolute and determined in our nationhood. Yes, we may be going through challenges as a nation but with our collective determination, we shall overcome.”

Wase, in the statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Puma, also urged Nigerians not to despair in spite of the challenges bedevilling the country.

In the statement titled, ‘New Year: Don’t lose hope, pray for your leaders, Wase urges Nigerians,’ the Deputy Speaker advised Nigerians to believe in the prosperity of the country.

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