The minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu has said that President Bola Tinubu’s policies aimed at transforming the nation are already bearing fruits and delivering results.
Bagudu, a former governor of Kebbi state, therefore, urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and keep faith with the government.
The minister spoke at a national policy summit themed “Activating the Policies and Promises in the Renewed Hope Agenda” organised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (P-BAT) Academics and Professionals in Abuja.
He said that Nigerians had a reason to be optimistic because they had found a leader in Tinubu who had succeeded before in a leadership capacity to transform Lagos from what it used to be through inclusive leadership.
“Today, there is a cry for inclusion across the country and we have a leader who believes in inclusion and has practised it in Lagos by creating a state that worked for all, carrying everyone along and allowing them to excel.
“All that is needed is a support system for Tinubu to work. His policy to move the economy from less than 500 billion GDP to a trillion Naira GDP in three years, requires boldness and requires risk-taking with the support of his leadership.
“The decision to remove fuel subsidy is a necessary step. As painful as it may be, that needed to be done to lead to a greater tomorrow.
“So, some of the measures being taken particularly under the leadership of the president are measures we believe will lead to a greater tomorrow.
“All policies have a lifetime. So as good as a policy can be and its strategy, if we don’t appreciate it, we can lose some stakeholders because sometimes the benefits take time to come.”
Bagudu said that there were so many reforms in the pipeline, adding: “We will run within time and do our very best with your support.”
He added: “We know that by God’s grace we are on the right course and all men and women of conscience will support us to remain on the right cause under the able leadership of Tinubu.”
The national coordinator and convener, P-BAT Academics and Professionals, Prof. Yemi Oke, said the group desired a shift in the paradigm of merely criticising the government and its policies to engaging the process of governance.
Oke said the group does that by offering well-thought-through practical suggestions and solutions to support the government in policy implementations.
He said: “Our aim is to volunteer our time, efforts and resources by deploying our privileged positions to support the Tinubu-led administration.
“At inception, the group tasked itself with the sole objective of using her intellectual input to support President Tinubu to win the election, after the election, we transformed into P-BAT Academics and Professionals.
“The next mission is to positively engage and add critical objective views and values to all forms of governance and continue to volunteer our talents and skills.
“This is bearing in mind that to be elected is not as crucial as to deliver on the mandate of renewed hope to Nigerians.’’
According to Oke, Nigeria belongs to all and not the exquisite reserve of those in government, saying it is up to citizens to own the process, encourage inclusivity, and tell the government when they do right or wrong.
Special Adviser on Economic Affairs in the office of the vice president, Tope Fasua, said that the implementation of Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda was still very much on course.
Fasua said the president recently launched the renewed hope housing estate idea which would be starting soon with 200,000 houses nationwide.
He said: “I have always preached that Nigerians should try not to be cynical because these are opportunities going on. We did promise double-digit growth, it’s not over yet.
“What is going on right now is like the Chinese bamboo, we are digging roots. Some of the reforms that the president has committed to are very painful reforms.
“However, they are also the very necessary roots that must be planted so that when it starts germinating it’s going to be in leaps and bounds.
“The 2024 budget is one of the best budgets ever done, reducing the deficit by half and making provisions for the right things, reducing the deficit and reforming the revenue sector. So, we are remaking the economy.”
The media spokesperson of P-BAT, Mary Ikoku, said members of the group did not only support the aspiration of Tinubu but were also professionals and academics who developed and designed, and formulated policies.
Ikoku said that these policies would be sent to the government for implementation for a transformed Nigeria.
