Mr. Nebeolisa Anako, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, assured that the Federal Government is actively working to alleviate the challenges faced by Nigerians due to the removal of fuel subsidies. Speaking at the 22nd Joint Planning Board (JPB) and National Council on Development Planning (NCDP) meeting in Osogbo, he emphasized that the difficulties arising from economic reforms, including the subsidy removal and the floating of the Naira, are temporary.
The meeting, themed “Imperatives for restoring Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic growth and development,” aimed to strategize ways to steer Nigeria towards lasting economic growth and development.
Anako urged attendees to leverage their esteemed positions to educate the Nigerian public on the long-term benefits of these policies. He highlighted that recent immediate measures, such as the provision of N5 billion and food supplies to each state, were taken to alleviate the hardship resulting from these reforms. As additional medium-term measures unfold, Anako expressed confidence that Nigerians will come to appreciate the reasoning behind these decisions.
He stressed the importance of synergy between the federal, state, and local levels for the effective implementation of the decisions made during the meeting to expedite national development goals.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, represented by his deputy, Mr. Kola Adewusi, acknowledged the significance of the meeting in restoring Nigeria’s economic prosperity through the effective implementation of policies in the long run. He thanked the organizers for choosing Osun to host the event and encouraged participants to devise immediate measures to mitigate challenges arising from the ongoing economic reforms, including subsidy removal and the floating of the Naira.