The Federal Government has declared Monday, October 3, 2022, a public holiday to mark the country’s 62nd Independence Anniversary Celebration.

In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, the minister congratulated all Nigerians on this year’s celebration and assured of government’s commitment to tackling all the challenges facing the nation.

He said, “The world is going through dire economic and security challenges which have also affected our nation. However, I am assuring us all that the government will not abandon the people, but will continue to confront all these challenges with all the might at our disposal until respite comes our way.

“Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope. If we can rally ourselves together to harness our potentials, we shall be the greatest nation on the earth.

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government added that, “A country of over 200 million people whose natural talents, grit and passion glitter like the precious diamond that we are; Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in the academia, science and technology, business, innovation, music, entertainment, fashion or culture.

Aregbesola urged Nigerians to work hard, shun any attraction to get rich through criminal and other immoral means, saying only through productivity can an individual and the nation create wealth and get rich.”