The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has defended the economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying ongoing investments in infrastructure and human capital are laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth and the country’s ambition of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.
According to an official statement signed by Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser to the APC National Chairman on Media and Information Strategy, Yilwatda made the remarks while receiving the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, led by its Pro-Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Audu, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
The APC chairman said the administration’s investments in roads, bridges, rail transportation, deep seaports, education and other strategic sectors are part of a deliberate long-term economic strategy aimed at improving productivity, attracting investment, creating jobs and strengthening national competitiveness.
He said the government is developing five major deep seaports across the country and constructing coastal highways to connect them, describing the projects as critical infrastructure that will expand trade, improve logistics and support industrial growth.
Yilwatda also highlighted the railway project linking Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic, saying it would enhance regional commerce and position Nigeria as a major logistics hub by increasing cargo movement through the country’s seaports.
Defending the administration’s broader economic reforms, he said the recently introduced tax reforms are intended to create a fairer tax system by reducing the burden on lower-income earners while ensuring those with higher incomes contribute more.
He added that foreign exchange reforms have improved the management of the currency market and addressed distortions associated with the parallel exchange market.
According to Yilwatda, Nigeria’s economy is showing encouraging signs of recovery, pointing to a Gross Domestic Product growth rate of about four per cent, improving investor confidence and a reported $20 billion investment commitment by Shell, which he said would generate employment opportunities and stimulate economic activity.
He stressed that infrastructure development alone cannot deliver sustainable growth without corresponding investments in education and healthcare, describing the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, as a strategic institution for developing the skilled workforce required to drive national development.
Yilwatda also welcomed the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the welfare of university lecturers, saying enhanced remuneration and better working conditions would strengthen the education sector and reduce industrial disputes.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Professor Muhammad Audu, appealed to the APC National Chairman to facilitate access to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to enable the university seek support for key infrastructure projects.
Responding, Yilwatda assured the delegation that the request would receive due attention, noting that supporting institutions of higher learning aligns with the administration’s commitment to human capital development and long-term national growth.
