The nation’s economic recovery will not happen overnight, the Continuous Human Empowerment Initiative, Inclusive Support for Tinubu (CHEI-IST), has said, urging Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu’s reforms time to deliver results.
The group’s National Coordinator, Dr. Agu Goodluck Michael, made the appeal on Wednesday during an interactive session with members of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) in Abuja.
Acknowledging the hardship confronting citizens, Michael said the administration had introduced measures that could produce positive outcomes if sustained. Drawing on his experience as a medical doctor, he compared Nigeria’s economy to a patient suffering from multiple fractures.
“The mistake we would make is for a man with multiple fractures to believe that immediately he gets to the emergency, he will be well,” he said.
According to him, just as doctors must examine a severely injured patient before prescribing treatment, economic reforms should be assessed over time rather than judged solely by the immediate pain they cause.
Michael said CHEI-IST’s civic engagement was rooted in the link between political leadership, economic conditions and its programmes in healthcare, agriculture, youth development and skills acquisition.
The organisation, he added, had conducted medical outreaches and empowerment initiatives across the country, with a focus on helping citizens build sustainable livelihoods instead of depending on temporary relief or political handouts.
He also called for stronger investment in existing primary healthcare centres, arguing that many facilities needed equipment, trained personnel and effective management more urgently than new buildings.
He further urged the government to address the “Japa” migration of doctors and other professionals by improving working conditions, providing modern equipment and creating financing opportunities for medical practitioners who wish to return and work in Nigeria.
On governance, Michael backed greater autonomy for local governments, saying councils were closest to the people and needed sufficient authority and resources to solve grassroots problems.
He attributed improvements in infrastructure, workers’ salaries and security to the Tinubu administration, while urging citizens to remain actively involved in the political process ahead of the 2027 elections.
He called on Nigerians to protect their votes and assess candidates based on their records and policies.
With sustained reforms, improved governance and stronger citizen participation, Michael said, Nigeria could gradually overcome its challenges and unlock its enormous potential.
