• Idris drums support for Tinubu’s reforms

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, has said the reforms embarked upon by the Federal Government are creating opportunities for states and local councils to undertake landmark development projects through improved revenue.

This came as the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as necessary steps towards economic stability and long-term prosperity.

Udeh, who spoke with The Guardian in Enugu, said the country’s economic performance had improved since the introduction of the reforms, despite the hardship still confronting many Nigerians.

He said economic growth had risen from about two per cent in 2023 to approximately four per cent currently, adding that the removal of fuel subsidy and the financial autonomy granted to local councils were among the measures expected to improve governance and development.

According to him, increased revenue available to state and local councils would enable them to execute landmark projects and improve residents’ living conditions.

The minister cited developments in Enugu State, particularly in infrastructure and transportation, as well as its emergence as a conference destination, as examples of the opportunities available when governments deploy resources towards development.

He acknowledged that inflation and economic hardship remained concerns but maintained that the country was moving in the right direction.

Udeh urged Nigerians to support the Tinubu administration, arguing that a second term would provide an opportunity to consolidate the reforms and deliver further    development.

On calls for the South-West to retain the Presidency in 2027, despite the South-East not producing a president since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Udeh said candidates would present their arguments to Nigerians, who would ultimately decide through the electoral process.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday when he received the Director-General of Friends of Tinubu Reforms (FTR), Agbor Ebipade, who visited to introduce the organisation and seek collaboration with the ministry in communicating government policies to Nigerians, Idris said the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market were difficult but necessary decisions intended to stabilise the economy and address longstanding structural challenges.

He noted that state governments had previously struggled to pay workers’ salaries, arguing that the reforms were aimed at improving public finances and creating room for governments to meet their obligations.

Idris also highlighted government interventions in education, agriculture, security and infrastructure, including student loans and road projects, as examples of programmes Nigerians needed to understand.

He stressed that effective communication was essential to ensuring that citizens across the country were informed about government policies and their intended benefits.

“Every part of this country deserves to know what this administration is doing,” Idris said, adding that the ministry would continue to support efforts to explain government programmes and engage the public.

He welcomed FTR’s initiative, saying collaboration with organisations working to promote public awareness of government policies could help strengthen communication between the administration and citizens.

Earlier, Ebipade said the organisation was established to promote the Renewed Hope Agenda and explain the administration’s reforms to Nigerians, particularly at the grassroots.

He said FTR planned to produce a compendium outlining the reforms and their implications for citizens, adding that the organisation sought the ministry’s support in reaching a wider audience.

Ebipade also invited Idris to serve as the organisation’s grand patron, expressing the group’s readiness to work with the ministry to improve public understanding of government policies.