By Abiola Olawale
In the wake of the prevalent economic hardship grappling with the citizens of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu summoned a meeting with prominent members of the organised private sectors.
The meeting which was also attended by some state governors was aimed at finding solutions to the falling economy, the New Diplomat gathered.
The New Diplomat reports that the members of the private sector present at the meeting are: chairperson of Dangote Group of Companies, Aliko Dangote; the chairman of BUA Group Abdulsamad Rabiu; chairperson of United Bank of Africa (UBA) Tony Elumelu; and director-general, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir.
The governors of Ogun and Anambra states, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Prof. Charles Soludo, were also present at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Also in attendance were, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.
Speaking during the meeting, Tinubu said that the purpose of the meeting was to set up an economic advisory committee constituted with members of the private sector players.
The tripartite committee comprised 17 members from both the Federal government, sub-nationals and private sector.
Tinubu during the inauguration in Abuja announced that the top private sector players would work with the governors to address the socio-economic difficulties facing the nation.
He added while the government does not have all the answers, it would continue trying until it “fashioned the best economic future for this country.”
“Like I said, many times, the people of this country are only the people who we have to please. And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that every one of us will have to fetch water from the same well,” he said.
”We’re looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide that hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way.”
Also speaking at the meeting, Soludo said that the meeting allowed for cross fertilisation of ideas on the state of the economy and the way forward, adding that every Nigerian needs to contribute to its growth.
In his words, ”We have all the potential and we have all that it takes to make Nigeria ride through these turbulent times and put the economy back on a sustainable growth path.
”I think there is unity of purpose, determination, the sense of patriotism and determination by all to make it happen and by the special grace of God, it’s now the execution, execution,” he said.
On his part, the governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, said that all governors have resolved to join hands with the President to provide the necessary intervention to cushion the effect of the administration’s reforms.
