Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has charged federal appointees to deepen their understanding of the policies and reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration and communicate their impact effectively to Nigerians, particularly at the grassroots.
Bagudu gave the charge while delivering a keynote address at the Federal Appointees Strategic Summit on the presentation and review of ministerial and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) budget implementation.
He said effective communication of government policies was critical to ensuring that Nigerians understood the objectives, challenges and expected benefits of the ongoing economic reforms.
The minister highlighted the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange market reforms as major measures undertaken by the administration against the backdrop of significant economic challenges.
According to him, the government did not anticipate the scale of subsequent turbulence in the global economy, which compounded the immediate effects of the reforms.
He acknowledged that the reforms, coupled with international economic pressures, had contributed to cost-of-living challenges and other difficulties confronting citizens.
Bagudu, however, said the administration remained focused on placing the economy on a sustainable growth path while pursuing inclusive growth and improved living standards.
He said the reforms had also strengthened the fiscal position of the Federal Government, states and local governments by increasing resources available to the three tiers of government.
The minister said the development was consistent with President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening fiscal federalism and enabling sub-national governments to meet their constitutional responsibilities.
“Rather than keeping additional revenues at the centre, the President has taken the position that we should give local governments and states more money and energise everyone so that we can interrogate and fulfil our responsibilities,” he said.
Bagudu also pointed to measures taken by the Federal Government to address outstanding financial obligations to states, saying such interventions were designed to strengthen the federation and improve the capacity of all tiers of government to deliver public services.
He recalled that several states had in the past struggled to pay workers’ salaries despite periods of relatively high international oil prices, while infrastructure and other public services remained constrained.
The minister said the improved fiscal position of states had provided greater room for investment in infrastructure, education, security and other areas of responsibility.
On the economy, Bagudu said several indicators were showing signs of improvement, including the revenue-to-GDP ratio.
He added that ongoing tax reforms were aimed at improving efficiency and broadening the effectiveness of the tax system rather than imposing unnecessary burdens on citizens.
The minister, however, noted that the reforms were being implemented amid global uncertainties, conflicts and pressures on international trade and tariffs, which continued to affect food prices and the wider cost of living.
He stressed that the progress recorded so far should not be regarded as an endpoint, noting that President Tinubu had consistently challenged members of his administration to do more.
Bagudu said the administration remained committed to its ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030, with growth that would be broad-based and capable of improving living standards and reducing poverty.
He described the target as ambitious but achievable, stressing the need to implement the necessary components of the National Development Plan to drive long-term economic transformation.
The minister further highlighted efforts to strengthen domestic production and ensure that the gains from economic reforms translated into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
He said the National Economic Council had also been discussing measures to encourage state governments to increase domestic production and ensure that the benefits of economic reforms were more widely distributed.
On resource allocation, Bagudu dismissed suggestions that government expenditure was designed to favour particular parts of the country.
He explained that major areas of public spending, including security, infrastructure and livelihood support, were guided by national objectives and intended to address the needs of Nigerians across the country.
According to him, security expenditure directly supports communities affected by insecurity, while infrastructure investments are designed to improve connectivity, stimulate economic activity and create opportunities across different parts of the country.
