Shettima to govs: Ensure gains of FG reforms reach Nigerians

Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has tasked the 36 state governors and other relevant government institutions to ensure that the gains of the administration’s economic reforms translate into affordable transportation, improved healthcare, employment opportunities and greater financial security for Nigerians.

He made the declaration on Thursday at the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), held virtually.

The Vice President maintained that the success of economic policies must ultimately be measured by their impact on citizens’ daily lives, stressing that the responsibility of government extends beyond announcing reforms to building institutions that enable Nigerians to plan their futures with confidence.

“The first dividend of prosperity should be the confidence to plan a life. Our task is to make such confidence less dependent on fortune.”

According to him, the council’s deliberations on transportation, healthcare, police reform and livestock development represent critical decisions about the quality of life Nigerians should expect from economic progress.

“Our separate jurisdictions must serve a common public interest,” Shettima said, emphasising that Nigeria’s federal structure must strengthen cooperation rather than become an obstacle to the delivery of essential services.

Shettima maintained that President Tinubu’s economic reform programme was designed to achieve broader national prosperity, noting that governments at all levels have a responsibility to translate its objectives into improved living conditions.

He said:

“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has made economic reform the instrument of a larger national ambition. Our contribution must give that ambition social depth and productive strength”

He urged governors to bring their understanding of local realities into national policy decisions, insisting that effective implementation requires clear responsibilities and practical agreements among the tiers of government.

“Our separate mandates must not become competing excuses. Each Governor carries knowledge that no federal document can supply,” he said.

The Vice President challenged members of the council to judge every policy proposal by its capacity to reduce uncertainty, create opportunities and strengthen public confidence in government.

“Nigerians deserve institutions on which they can organise their lives. Providing that assurance is among the most consequential uses of public authority. That is the assurance we owe them,” the Vice President said.

The NEC, at the end of its deliberations, endorsed a 90-day economic action plan proposed by the Federal Ministry of Finance to consolidate gains from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms.

The plan focuses on reducing the cost of living, improving food affordability, attracting investment and accelerating the delivery of projects with direct benefits to Nigerians.

The council’s endorsement followed a presentation by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, at the meeting.

The 90-day action plan identifies five priority areas: food affordability, tax harmonisation, completion of high-impact projects, resolution of investment bottlenecks and regulated household support.

NEC also approved the establishment of a national dashboard to track ongoing projects across the federation, with particular emphasis on transparency, accountability and accurate reporting of how proceeds from fuel subsidy removal are being utilised.

Presenting the economic outlook, Oyedele expressed optimism about the progress recorded under the Tinubu administration’s reform programme and the prospects for further economic recovery.

He identified the reduction of headline inflation and interest rates to single digits by 2027 as key policy objectives, noting that the next phase of reforms would require coordinated implementation across federal and state institutions.

The council equally received an update on the reported Ebola outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory from the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who allayed fears of a major public health crisis, assuring members that Nigeria possesses the institutional capacity to contain the situation.

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The minister briefed the council on efforts by the ministry, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to operationalise a robust national response system.

He identified coordination and governance, detection at points of entry, laboratory testing capacity, logistics for essential kits and personal protective equipment, and effective strategic communication as critical components of the response.

The minister acknowledged the efforts of 21 state governments that had updated their response plans and urged the remaining 15 states to expedite the establishment of appropriate preparedness and response mechanisms.