Renewed Hope Agenda: Ribadu’s Foundation, Edun-Jamila’s Castles.

Renewed Hope Agenda: Ribadu’s Foundation, Edun-Jamila’s Castles.

Written by Tijjani Ibrahim

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) needs a base to put his Renewed Hope Agenda to give the country the track to run on and take its potentials to the finish line of greatness. So far, the President has shown that is a born leader and that his success with the political leadership of Lagos and by extension the southwest was not a fluke. He has been masterly in navigating leadership at the national level.

Aside quality leadership, the country will need to be secured for any developmental effort to be meaningful and impactful. The 19th century American philosopher, Henry David Thoreau said “if you built castles in the air, your work need not be lost, that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them”. The government can produce a great blueprint to revive agriculture and attract investments,  these investments will remain castles in the air which can only stand if we deal with insecurity.

Recently, our Security forces have scaled their up offensive and are recording wins against criminals. Oil thieves are being arrested, stolen crude recovered and illegal refineries deactivated by troops of Operation Delta Safe and other outfits set up to sanitize the oil fields. Only a few days ago, over 100 bandits were killed in Zamfara by NAF airstrikes. Similarly, Nigerian forces have rescued kidnapped students of Federal University, Gusau Zamfara State; Nasarawa State University Keffi and Federal University Dutsinma Katsina State.

In spite of the successes, the criminals continue to conduct successful operations in our territory. That is why it becomes difficult to talk of winning against the criminal elements. We can’t afford to be scoring and conceding goals at the same rate to enemies who seek destroy our country.

For this reason the National Security Adviser and his defense team must activate all its hard and software to curb insecurity and give the President a foundation upon which his renewed hope agenda can rest.

Mr Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy no doubt comes to the job with a rich Curriculum Vitae. As an Economist and investment banker, with decades of experience and wide network in the global financial sector, his appropriateness for the role cannot be questioned. However, unless he gets the economy back to shape his much touted competency will not resonate with many.

Nigeria has an external debt profile of around $96.4 and local debt of 54.13 trillion naira. Her Debt to GDP Ratio is 37 percent and its GDP per capital of $2,085 is one of the lowest in the world. Inflation rate, all-item stands at 25.80 per cent. The country has been running a budget deficit for decades. Report shows that budget deficit financing has risen by 371 percent in the last 7 years, with deficit shooting from 2.41 trillion naira in 2016 to 11.34 trillion in 2023. The recent security gain has helped the country limit crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

However, daily output has only climbed to 1,181 million barrel, still below the quota after OPEC cut Nigeria’s production by 20 percent from 1.747 to 1.38mbpd. The risk of the OPEC cap for Nigeria is reduced revenues for government to finance projects and programmes. It is also not healthy for financial sector stability because crude oil remains a key source of foreign exchange for the country.

The country will be counting on Mr. Edun’s astuteness to come up with sound fiscal policies on taxation, tariffs, foreign and local investments to flip the negative indicators and return the economy on the path of recovery and growth.

The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso must also come in strong on the monetary policy side and ensure policies that will stabilize naira and prices. His policies should be designed to be able to rebuild, properly manage external reserve and the financial system.

The policies should also be fashioned to adequately manage the country’s debt, foreign exchange, naira floatation and the single exchange rate regime as well as control inflation which has dealt serious blows on cost of everything in the country.

The new Minister of Youth Dr. Jamila Ibrahim Bio and Minister of State Youth Comrade Ayodele Olawande are trying to settle in after taking their oaths of office yesterday. They are the first real youths being offered opportunity to make an impact in shaping the cause and direction of Nigerian youths at that level. The huge role is coming at a time many wouldn’t have imagined a possibility of youths heading the ministry of youth or any other ministry.

Nevertheless, given her background as a Medical Doctor, community mobilizer, and development expert, Jamil Ibrahim Bio is eminently qualified to occupy the office. Dr. Ibrahim was President Progressive Women Forum and also severed as Senior Special Assistant to Kwara State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals. On the other hand, Comrade Olawande served as a youth leader in the All Progressives Congress APC and was Special Assistant to former President Muhammad Buhari on innovation.

Without discounting their previous positions, being a Minister of the Federal Republic requires much more. The young ministers will be shouldering the collective dream and aspiration of the Nigerian youths. This means, they must be able to inspire young Nigerians to believe that indeed their dreams can come realized in Nigeria and their goals are achievable in their country with the right attitude.

To support that believe, the misters must work with experts to design quality policies across all sectors, prioritizing green skills and forging strategic alliances with key ministries, such  as, Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Agriculture and Food Security, Sports Development, Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Innovation Science and Technology, Industry Trade and Investment, Marine and Blue Economy to develop talents and provide opportunities in these cognate ministries to build a pool of self-reliant and globally competitive Nigeria youths.

It is also expected, that the ministers will take advantage of the large pool of youths in President Tinubu’s government to open up opportunities within and outside government for young people and pull them out of their hopelessness.  This way, their hope will be renewed and they will be encouraged to work for and look forward to a new and better Nigeria without the eagerness to become economic refugees in other countries in the name of JAPA.

If the Minsters can do this, confidence will be return, more doors will open for youth participation in government going forward. The President will be proud of them for helping him reduce the problem of youth unemployment, marginalization and restiveness and Nigeria will be the winner.

Young Dr. Jamila Ibrahim Bio and Comrade Ayodele Olawande can’t afford to fail Nigerian youths as Ministers just as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can’t afford to fail Nigerians as President.

Writer can be reached via drtijjaniibrahim@gmail.com