Why my administration seems slow – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said the apparent slowness of his administration in deciding on major national issues was to avoid costly mistakes.

Jonathan,  at a Christmas Service held at the Cathedral Church of The Advent, Life Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja, said  experience had shown him that when rushing to take decisions, serious mistakes could be made.

Reading the second lesson of the service, the President  said he would not because of the public perception that his administration was slow begin to rush decision-making process.

He  however assured Nigerians that when issues that needed  fast decisions arose, his administration would rise up to the occasion like it did during the recent flood disasters in many parts of the country.

Jonathan  said, “Sometimes, people say this government is slow. Yes, by human thinking, we are slow,  but I can say that we are not slow.

“Government must think things properly before it acts. When you don’t think through things properly, or  when you   rush, you will make mistakes.It is more difficult to correct errors. You can ask those who build houses.

“Government will not, because of the perception, begin to rush. But where we are required to act very fast, we will do so, just like we did during the recent flood disasters.”

He assured Nigerians that his administration would not retrace any of  the  steps taken towards “laying a solid foundation for the nation’s transformation.”

Jonathan said he would work hard to ensure that “the successes” so far recorded in the agricultural  sector, transport and electoral process  were  sustained.

Speaking on his administration’s transformation agenda, the President said it was arrived at after a full day debate ahead of the declaration of his presidential ambition in 2010.

Jonathan, who  said no nation could be properly transformed without  reformed citizenry, stated that  the church had a great role to play  in making the transformation agenda a  success.

He said, “You can’t transform a country without the people being reformed. I call on the church to come up with  programmes on  how  Nigerians can be reformed.

“People play politics with things that affect their own lives. That is why somebody will vandalise power equipment in order to ensure that power reform fails. Such people need to be reformed.”

He assured  Nigerians that he was committed to keeping faith with all the promises he made during electioneering.

The President  said Nigerians’ orientation must change, adding that the change must reflect in the way they thought and  did things.

In his sermon, the Primate, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, urged all religious, traditional and political leaders to emulate Jesus Christ whom he said had the masses at  the centre of  his agenda.

“The ordinary people should continue to be the subject of leaders’ agenda because God takes interest in the poor.  Emphasis of leadership is the poor, the downtrodden. Their welfare and relief must occupy the agenda of (our) leaders,” he said.

The Primate said Christians must learn to embrace peace, even amidst the provocation that might come with the violence witnessed in the country.

He said, “There must be peace between man and man, especially in this country.

“We are labouring and praying for peace. Tit for tat is not recommended for the various killings in the country because Christians are peace bearers.

“Irrespective of the provocation, we must promote peace. It is also a solution to tribalism that has affected us and caused chaos.”

He commended the Federal Government on its cassava revolution, rice production and railway rehabilitation.

Okoh expressed the hope that in the coming year Nigeria would witness perfect security.

Shortly after the service which was also attended  by  the President’s wife, Patience; his mother, Eunice, other members of his family and top government officials, Jonathan played host to Christians who paid him visits at the Presidential Villa.

The visitors were led by Vice-President Namadi Sambo and his wife, Amina.

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onayeikan, in his remarks at the reception, urged Nigerians to be closer to one another and to relate more with God.

Sambo and the Minister of State, Federal Capital Authority, Jumoke Akinjide, later presented Christmas cards to the President.

In his vote of thanks, Jonathan said his administration would continue to grow the economy in the New Year.

 Punch