The change begins with me campaign conceived by the ministry of information and culture is aimed at establishing values of accountability and intergrity as well as inculcating positive attitudinal change in Nigerians towards achieving the desired national development.
Read president Buhari's full speech :
"I welcome you all to these important occasion of the launching of the National Re-orientation campaign called "change begins with me", Nigeria today is passing through a challenging moment where hardly anything works in a normal manner. Many have attributed this phenomenon to the total breakdown of our core values over the years".
"It is safe to say today that honesty, hardwork, Godliness have given way to all kind of manifestation of lawlessness and degeneration in our national life. This is why we have among our cardinal objectives "change" which implies the need for a change of attitude and mindset in our everyday life".
"I need not mention the serious effort we have engaged in since the inception of this administration on the fight against corruption in our public life. With the progress we have so far made in that regard, we feel the need to ensure that we put in place the necessary sustainable framework for action and consolidation the progress achieved so far, this we believe can be maintained through attitudinal change, and the change of our mindset in private and public life".
" The campaign we are about to launch today is about the need for us to see change not merely in terms of our of our economic, social progress but in terms of our neighbours, friends and generally how we relate with the larger society in a positive and definitive way and manner that promotes our common good and common destiny, change at home, change in the workplace, change at traffic junction, change at traffic lights etc".
"This campaign is part of the determination of our party to seek to carry all Nigeria along on the journey to a better and greater society that we all can be proud of".
"There is no doubt that our value system has been badly eroded over the years. The long-cherished and time honoured, time-tested virtues of honesty, integrity, hard work, punctuality, good neighourliness, abhorrence of corruption and patriotism, have given way in the main to dishonesty and indolence, unbridled corruption and indisperead impunity".
"The resultant effect of this derailment in our value system is been felt in our social, political and economic sphere. It is reason that some youths will take to cultism and brigandage instead of studying hard or engaging in decent living; it is the reason that some elements will break pipelines and other oil facilities, thus robbing the nation of the much needed resources, it is reason that money belonging to our cmon wealth will be brazenly stolen by the same public officials to whom they were entrusted, it is reason why motorist drive through red traffic light, it is the reason why many will engage in thuggery and vote-stealing during elections, it is part of what has driven our economy into deep problem out of which we are now working hard to extricate ourselves. Everyone of us must have a change from our old ways of doing things, we can not fold our arms and allow things to continue the old way".
"We must resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship, pettiness and immaturity that have poisoned our country for so long. Let us summon a spirit of responsibility, spirit of service, of patriotism and sacrifice, let us all resolve to pitch in and work hard and look after not only ourselves but one another. What the current problem has taught us is that we can not have a thriving army of rent seekers and vested interests, while the majority suffers".
"Rather than sit back and complain endlessly, we have decided to act pragmatically with the launch of this National Re-orientation campaign. The campaign will not be a spirit but a marathon that will run the course of our tenure. We are under no illusion that the changes we seek will happen over night, but we have no doubt that the campaign will help restore our value system and rekindle our our nationalistic fervor".
"I am therefore appealingto to all Nigerians to be part of this campaign. Our citizens must realise that the change they want to see begins with them, and that personal and social reforms are not theoretic exercise. If you have not seen the change in you, you cannot see it in others or even the larger society. In other words, before you ask "where is the change they promised us" you must first ask, how far have I changed my ways, "what have I done to be part of the change for the greater good of the society".
"While the government will drive the "change begins with me" campaign, it must be strongly supported by all concerned individuals. In this regard the private sector is a major stakeholder. Indeed when the campaign succeeds, it will impact heavily on the private sector. A punctual, diligent and hardworking staff can only be of benefit of not just himself or herself or the organization they work for but to various governments whether at local, state or federal level".
"While congratulating the stakeholders, especially ministry of information and culture and the National orientation agency for concieving this campaign, I charge all to pursue the campaign with vigour and ensure it sustance by taking it to all the nook and crannies of this country, with the aim of getting the buy in of the old, the young, the rich, the poor irrespective of gender or other social positions".
"Your Excellencies, Honorable Ministers, Members of the National Assembly, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to launch and handover the instrument of the change campaign tagged "change begins with me" to the honourable minister of information and culture, for transmission to all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria. Indeed I say to the glory of mighty Allah change begins with me".
