Vice President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is poised to take Nigeria to greater heights among the comity of nations. The Vice President made the declaration in Abuja on Friday, at a town hall meeting organised by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
The meeting followed the successful completion of the 90-day Regulatory Reform Accelerator Action Plan.
He said: “We have never had it so good regarding leadership. The President means well for the nation; most importantly, he is built with the skills set to drive change and progress in this country. I can tell you with all sense of confidence that the President we have now is a man of ideas who is robustly inbuilt with the capacity.
“This is a man that we all need to rally around him. We need to support him; yes our economy is going through turbulence but is that confined to Nigeria alone? It is affecting every economy of the world. So I urge you to be fair to this poor man.”
He therefore said Nigerians must align with the vision of the President in pursuit of a business environment that fosters innovation, creativity and productivity.
VP Shettima said the 90-day Regulatory Reform Accelerator window provided by PEBEC was instrumental to the provision of an enduring business environment in Nigeria, adding that the town hall meeting was very vital for PEBEC.
“Today we stand on a robust foundation recognising that achieving PEBEC’s mandate directly contributes to our shared economic prosperity as a nation.
“This meeting is not a talk show. It is a rescue mission for a nation that entrusts each of us with the critical role of creating an environment where every idea can germinate into an enduring business.
“Our success is not merely a matter of policy but is measured by its impact, from the small-time trader in Kafanchan to the large corporation on Lagos Island. Today, I feel the pulse of our collective desire to make this objective a reality,” the Vice President added.
He implored members of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) as well as Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to be driven by the dreams of all Nigerians aspiring to grow their businesses and looking up to the government for direction towards a future of prosperity.
VP Shettima announced that PEBEC’s public sector reforms have achieved a collective score of over 80% at the beginning of the 90-Day Regulatory Reform Accelerator, adding that “despite a slow start, the collective commitment and actions of every Minister, Head of Agency, Reform Champion, and BFA Committee Member have significantly increased reform implementation during the 30-Day extension.”
Senior Special Assistant to the President on PEBEC and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, while responding to questions posed by some participants in the town hall meeting, assured that the Tinubu administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring steady improvements in the country’s business environment.
She attributed the progress made so far in the reform process largely to the personal commitment, unwavering support and overall leadership of Vice President Shettima, even as she identified his approval for a 30-day extension of the Regulatory Reform Accelerator as a milestone in the reform efforts.
Dominica Nwabufo
