The Federal Government has disclosed some of the actions being undertaken to help the country recover from its current economic recession. The measures were revealed by Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed during the 26th Nigerian Economic Summit. The minister said that Federal Government has taken due note of the current economic hardship and was taking decisive measures to ensure the country recovers and restore the economy on the path of sustainable development. She said “To achieve these the government developed a sustainability plan to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and is already implementing policies aimed at stabilising the economy. “These include taking action to stimulate the economy by preventing business collapse through ensuring liquidity; retain and create jobs through support to labour intensive sectors such as agriculture and direct labour interventions. “Undertake growth-enhancing and job creating infrastructural investments in roads, rails, bridges, solar power, and communications technologies.” According to Ahmed, government was extending protection to the very poor and other vulnerable groups including women and persons living with disabilities through pro-poor spending. Ahmed further stated that since the inception of the economic summit 25 years ago, it had become one of the largest annual gatherings dedicated to finding solutions to the challenges facing the Nigerian economy and finding ways of achieving a prosperous and egalitarian society. She said “Permit me to say that going forward, the Federal Government in partnership with NESG has been working together in implementing the National Development Plan and by extension the Regional and Global Development Agendas.” “In order to ensure realisation of the continental and global aspirations, deliberate efforts have been put in place to effectively align the successor national plans being developed with these agendas.”
Source: Punch