New dev’t plan to support 9 goals — Minister

The Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021-2025) would focus on supporting the implementation of nine priorities in eliminating poverty and job creation, said the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed.

She stated this yesterday at the 19th Joint Planning Board (JPB) in Abuja, adding that the nine priorities would be unveiled by the end of this month.

Represented by the Minister of State, Clem Ikanade Agba, the minister said priorities would be given to stabilizing the economy, ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products, achieve agricultural and food security, improve transportation and other Infrastructures, drive industrialization, improve health, education and productivity, enhance social security and reduce poverty and fight corruption and improve governance. She said the government will stabilise budget and expenditure by diversifying the economy and close fiscal deficit.

“Effort will be made to review the Public Sector Contract System. It will also pay attention to regulatory issues. Overall, this Plan and your supportive actions will help the government to deliver better living conditions to Nigerians,” she declared.

Admitting that the country is faced with socio-economic challenges, the minister emphasized on the need of synergy between states and federal government in the articulation and implementation of the Plan.

She decried that the Economic Recover Growth Plan (ERGP) was not achieved in wholesome but helped the country to come out of economic recessions as the economy only grew at 0.75 per cent and 3.19% on average during 2017-2020 and 20102020 respectively.