NOA chief defends Tinubu’s economic overhaul
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, has assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda will transform the nation into a country admired by all.
Speaking in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Thursday at a media engagement organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists Kwara State Council, themed ‘Can Citizens Still Be Hopeful in a Renewed Hope Era’, Issa-Onilu urged Nigerians to be patriotic and embrace change for national development.
According to him, “The situation President Tinubu met the country in requires a total overhaul to make it viable. The macroeconomic indicators must be put right to enable the microeconomic indices to take effect.”
Acknowledging the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidies, the NOA DG stressed that development often comes with unavoidable sacrifices. “There can be no development without the corresponding pain that comes along with it,” he said.
He highlighted that the present administration is steadily steering the country out of its revenue generation challenges. “Today, the nation can boast of a 63 per cent debt servicing ratio with about 37 per cent revenue to spend, compared to what was obtainable in the past,” he noted.
Issa-Onilu further emphasised that investor confidence has been restored in the stock market, reinvigorating economic activities.
He added that the country’s revenue base has improved, with crude oil production reaching over 1.57 million barrels per day for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
“The administration of President Tinubu has reconciled the factions in Ogoni land, which had existed for over a decade, assuring that very soon Nigeria’s petroleum supply to OPEC would increase to 2 million barrels per day.”
He also disclosed that the Presidency approved 14 requests for NOA, containing seven pillars that Nigerians must uphold. He stated that the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, and other security agencies would integrate the Nigerian Charter into their training programs.
Issa-Onilu urged citizens to embrace conservation efforts and contribute their quota to national development.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the NUJ Kwara State Council, Mallam Ahmed Abdullateef, stated that the media engagement was designed to educate the public on government policies and programs.
He noted that the platform provides an opportunity for citizens to ask questions and participate in discussions on issues affecting them.
Abdullateef also “appealed to the government to implement policies and programmes that have a direct impact on the lives of the people.”
