Nigerian Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has boldly said that Nigerians must acknowledge that the current government came into office at a very challenging time in the nation’s history, but added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confronted all the inherited challenges head on.
Idris delivering his remarks at the Public lecture and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Kaduna Chapter on Saturday, said Nigerians has a transformational leader with a solid track record in the private sector and at the level of subnational government.
According to him, “A man who will not be fazed by challenges and obstacles, who has regularly said he does not need pity or sympathy; because he asked for and passionately sought the job.
“Just this week, he presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion to National Assembly, the first full-year Budget of his Administration. The Budget as presented signifies a pivotal step towards realization of his Renewed Hope Agenda, by aligning fiscal strategies and priorities with broader national development objectives.
“In addition to its focus on development priorities, budget demonstrates commitment to fiscal responsibility. President Tinubu’s administration recognizes the importance of prudent financial management as the foundation for long-term economic stability.
“As the 2024 appropriation bill moves through the legislative process, we are very optimistic that its passage will mark the beginning of a transformative era, bringing tangible improvements to the lives of Nigerians.
“Before this week’s Budget Presentation, President Tinubu had assented to an equally important Supplementary Budget, signed a number of landmark Bills and Executive Orders into law.
“And inaugurated special presidential initiatives on fiscal policy reform, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Food Security, MSME Support, and other critical areas of the economy. The goal has been to deliver relief to the Nigerian people, and lay the groundwork for true and lasting prosperity”, he said.
Reflecting on the theme of this event: Demographic Transition, Ethical Resources, and Sustainable Development, the Minister stated that demographic Transition concept is very important one for Nigeria, considering the place it occupy as Africa’s most populous country, and one of the fastest growing countries in the world.
He added that by the year 2050, Nigeria will be the third most populous country in the world, after India and China, and ahead of the United States, saying on top of this, Nigeria is a very young population, with a median age of 19 which mean that half of the population of our country is younger than 20.
Idris added, “You can imagine what the implications of this are for our present and our future: education, healthcare, jobs, security, economic potential. We owe these teeming young people a great deal, starting with ensuring that they are educated for the world of the 21st century.
“Indeed, with our population, we are at a crossroads. One direction lies demographic dividend, and in the other direction lies demographic disaster. The choice is now up to us, as leaders, as elites, regarding what direction Nigeria will proceed in. Today’s young people, if properly educated, catered for, will be tomorrow’s engaged and productive labour force”, he said.
Idris noted that demographics are not only about age; adding that gender is another important element, says “Nigeria’s population is roughly split evenly between men and women. A society with fifty-percent women should strive to reflect this in its positions of influence and leadership. That is another challenge facing Nigeria today.
“With this background of age and gender in mind, we must therefore ask ourselves: do we fully understand the demands placed upon us by our evolving demographics, and are we aligning our policies and programmes align with the specific and equally evolving needs of our diverse population?
The Minister reminded Nigerians that one of the pillars of President Bola Tinubu’s Eight -Point Agenda is “Inclusivity”, which means inclusive policies and programmes for all segments of the population, especially youth and women.
“You can see manifestations of this even in the array of appointments made by President so far, and the prominence given to young people and to women. This is not to say we have done enough, and can therefore rest on our oars. No. We can still do better, and I can assure you that the President will continue to push the envelope in this regard.
“In addition to appointments and representation, the Tinubu Administration has very importantly been rolling out policies targeted at creating enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive, across all demographic categories”, Idris said.