Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called for stronger grassroots communication and public engagement to promote understanding of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms, urging Nigerians to support the administration’s efforts to reposition the country for sustainable prosperity.
The Information Minister made the call when he received the Director-General of Friends of Tinubu Reforms (FTR), Agbor Ebipade, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry to seek collaboration in communicating the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to Nigerians.
The minister said government policies and reforms could achieve greater impact when citizens were adequately informed about their objectives, implementation and expected benefits.
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According to him, government officials alone cannot effectively communicate the administration’s programmes to every segment of the population, making partnerships with civil society organisations, voluntary associations and support groups essential.
“Government officials alone cannot communicate government programmes effectively. We need partnerships with civil society organisations, voluntary groups and support groups like yours to explain these reforms to Nigerians across the country,” Idris said.
He commended FTR for its plan to produce a compendium of government reforms, describing such an initiative as a useful platform for taking information about government policies to communities across the country.
“I thank you for putting together this compendium of reforms. Every part of this country deserves to know what this administration is doing,” he stated.
Idris also defended the administration’s major economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, saying the measures were necessary to stabilise the economy and create a foundation for national prosperity.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda is designed to take Nigeria to greater prosperity. The removal of the fuel subsidy, one of President Tinubu’s major reforms, together with the unification of the foreign exchange, are two programmes the president needed to implement to stabilise this country,” he said.
The Minister recalled the financial challenges faced by some state governments before the current administration, noting that the economic situation had made it difficult for some states to meet their salary obligations.
“It is so easy to forget that some states could not pay salaries, but that is not the case since President Tinubu assumed office,” he added.
He further highlighted interventions by the Federal Government in critical sectors, including education, agriculture, security and infrastructure, with particular reference to the student loan scheme and major road projects.
According to him, sustained public engagement is necessary to help Nigerians understand the rationale behind government decisions, assess ongoing programmes and participate meaningfully in national development.
Earlier, the Information Minister was invited by the group to serve as the organisation’s Grand Patron, expressing confidence that the minister’s involvement would strengthen its public enlightenment efforts.
In his response, the Minister welcomed the proposal and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to communicating government policies and programmes in clear, accessible language.
He emphasised that effective communication remained vital to bridging the gap between government decisions and public understanding, particularly as the administration continued implementing reforms aimed at addressing the country’s economic and developmental challenges.
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of Friends of Tinubu Reforms (FTR), Agbor Ebipade, said FTR was established to promote the Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthen communication between the government and citizens, particularly at the grassroots.
He explained that the organisation was preparing a compendium of reforms to provide accessible information on the administration’s policies and initiatives, adding that the publication was intended to help Nigerians better understand the government’s programmes.
“We put together this compendium because President Tinubu is working, and we need all Nigerians to see the good work that he is doing,” he said.
The FTR Director-General appealed to the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to support the initiative, stressing the importance of collaboration in ensuring that information about government policies reaches citizens across the country.
The proposed partnership is expected to provide an additional platform for public enlightenment on government policies, with a focus on taking information about the Renewed Hope Agenda to communities at the grassroots.
