Posted by By Ben Agande on
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo declared, yesterday, that he had no regret for any of his actions as President in the last eight years, adding that if given the same opportunity and circumstances, he would take the same actions again.
ABUJA - PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo declared, yesterday, that he had no regret for any of his actions as President in the last eight years, adding that if given the same opportunity and circumstances, he would take the same actions again.
President Obasanjo who spoke at the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja enjoined all Nigerians to have the interest of the country at heart whether in or out of government with a view to moving the country forward.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Frank Nweke, Jnr., who addressed State House correspondents after yesterday's valedictory FEC meeting said the president expressed his faith in the country, saying that 'good things will certainly come out the country."
The President, according to Nweke, also told the meeting that the in-coming President, Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua, had requested that the president's Chief of Staff, General Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), be allowed to continue in office to allow him (Yar'Adua) settle down.
And contrary to general expectation, the Federal Executive Council will remain in place until May 29, 2007.
According to the Minister of Information, yesterday's Federal Executive Council meeting was as 'interesting as it was sobering" as the president expressed his appreciation to all members who have served in one capacity or the other. The meeting was attended by all the serving ministers as well as permanent secretaries of the various ministries.
At the end of the meeting, the president took a group photograph separately with the ministers, permanent secretaries and members of the council secretariat.
And unlike on the day that the council was inaugurated, the position where Vice President Atiku Abubakar sat beside the President was taken by the Chief of Staff to the left of the President while the Secretary to the Government of the Federation sat on the right.
Nweke said the council considered a number of reports and gave approvals while some issues discussed in the council were referred to the in-coming administration for consideration and possible implementation.
Some of the approvals given by the council yesterday were the harmonisation of the purchase of aircraft for various government agencies and organisations.
Nweke said the council recommended for the consideration of the in-coming administration that a hospital that would be a reference point of all medical cases in the country be established.
It also approved the immediate commencement of remedial work around the Warri refinery to check the environmental pollution caused by emissions from the refinery.
Applications for Nigerian citizenship were also approved for 88 foreign nationals who applied. They are from the United States of America, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Ghana. A breakdown for each country was not given.
The council also received the report of the NEEDS 11 document and was briefed by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory on the progress so far made on the sale of Federal Government landed properties.
Before the commencement of the meeting, two books - the landmark achievements of President Obasanjo and a transcription of the President's appearance on FRCN network programme, 'The President Explains" - were presented to President Obasanjo by the Minister of Information.