Inquirer Online

President Bola Tinubu has directed the reactivation of the Presidential Delivery Tracker to empower Nigerians to track the implementation of projects across the country in real time.

Speaking at the closing session of the three-day Cabinet Retreat, on Friday in Abuja, the President said that his determination to ensure the active and direct participation of citizens in governance is unwavering, noting that all Nigerians must be given the opportunity to track and report on the implementation of projects across the country. President Tinubu said he has asked his Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, to immediately reactivate the tracking system in a way that maximally leverages on cutting-edge digital innovation to provide real time oversight capability for the benefit of all Nigerians.

President Tinubu also redefined the priority areas of his administration as:

1. Reform the economy to deliver sustained inclusive growth.

2. Strengthen national security for peace and prosperity.

3. Boost agriculture to achieve food security.

4. Unlock energy and natural resources for sustainable development.

5. Enhance infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth.

6. Focus on education, health, and social investment as essential pillars of development.

7. Accelerate diversification through industrialization, digitization, creative arts, manufacturing & innovation.

8. Improve governance for effective service delivery.

The President further implored all members of his cabinet to work very hard to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

"I want to reiterate that the Renewed Hope Agenda is about more than just economic growth. It is also about building a more just and equitable society for all Nigerians. It is about creating jobs, improving education and healthcare, and reducing poverty. It is about ensuring that all Nigerians have the opportunity to succeed.

"I know that we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I am confident we can achieve our goals. We have a strong team in place, and we are committed to working together to build a better future for Nigeria.

"Let me remind you that our people are not interested in excuses, political games, or procrastination. Neither am I. They are interested in tangible results. They seek solutions to the problems that have long plagued our great nation. The challenge before us demands that we must put aside personal ambitions and focus on adhering to the performance bond we have all signed up to on this day. These performance bonds represent a contract we must uphold," the President said.

The President also emphasized the importance of data in governance, saying: "Data is the lifeblood of effective governance. It enables us to understand the challenges we face so that we can design and implement effective solutions as well as monitor and evaluate our progress. Without data, we are flying blind."

The climax of the retreat was the signing of performance bonds by ministers and permanent secretaries alongside President Tinubu, who charged all implementing authorities to unfailingly demonstrate diligence, innovative thinking, commitment, and an unrelenting focus on results.

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday in Abuja, expressed his appreciation to France for the return of $150 million stolen from Nigeria by former Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

In addition to the recovery of another tranche of Abacha loot, the President acknowledged the signing of a €100 million agreement between Nigeria and France to support the i-DICE programme — a Federal Government initiative to promote investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Creative Arts Industries.

The agreement was signed by Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Technology, and the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, at an earlier event at Tafawa Balewa House, the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Tinubu commended the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and France, noting that this progress followed his visit to Paris after his inauguration.

"Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot. We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives," the President told Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, who delivered the news.

The President, while emphasizing the need to reinforce collaboration on both political and economic fronts, welcomed the growing cooperation between the two countries in areas of shared interest, such as climate change, economic integration, education, and culture.

On the situation in Niger Republic, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said Nigeria is monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country, and exploring diplomatic channels to avoid bloodshed.

"Leadership is about responding to the needs of the people; their cries, and their frustrations. Nigeria shares a border with Niger across the expanse of seven Nigerian states, and most of these states are very populated. Therefore, I need to guide ECOWAS carefully and steadily so that we manage our anger carefully.

”We have a colleague and a democratically-elected leader, President Bazoum, being used as a human shield. If we are not careful, he and his family can be endangered.

”I am deploying all appropriate back-channel strategies to avoid bloodshed in Niger Republic. We recognize the wishes of our people; they do not want war, but that does not mean we can not take bold and decisive action," the President affirmed.

President Tinubu said Nigeria will continue to galvanize international partners in the determined pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Niger Republic.

The French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs conveyed the goodwill of President Emmanuel Macron and expressed the readiness of France to expand mutually beneficial collaboration with Nigeria across multiple sectors.

She proceeded to extend a formal invitation to President Bola Tinubu to attend the forthcoming Paris Peace Forum.

Speaking on the Abacha loot, the French Presidential Envoy said the repatriation followed the completion of legal processes.

"It was a long process, but we are glad that it was concluded. Sometimes, justice may be slow, but this is a very good achievement," she said.

Ms. Colonna also commended President Tinubu’s leadership in ECOWAS, saying: "We support your efforts at ECOWAS. We are behind you because we believe that constitutional order is a treasure for all countries, and democracy must be a reality."

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja appealed to all candidates participating in the November 11 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States, as well as the electorate to ensure free and fair elections.

The President made the appeal at the presentation of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) flags to the standard-bearers in the upcoming elections.

He presented the party flags to Chief Timipre Sylva for Bayelsa State; Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who is seeking a second-term in office, and Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for Kogi State.

"All I am pleading for is for free and fair elections. I believe we will do well,” the President stated.

The President expressed optimism about the party’s chances of victory in the off-season elections, noting the hard work and records of the candidates, as well as the collective efforts of party officials, members of the APC National Working Committee, and the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

He said the collective efforts of these party men were factors inspiring his optimism in the forthcoming elections.

”I want to thank the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who is working hard to ensure a handover to our candidate, Usman Ododo. We are happy to have Hope Uzodinma, the great hope of our party and chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum. Thank you for the good job you are doing.

”Timipre Sylva, congratulations on what you have achieved as a former governor and former minister.

”We are all facing this crusade for democracy, particularly in this time of elections. It is our hope, and we have Hope Uzodinma as a candidate, that we will always come out victorious.

”I want to thank the active national leadership of our party, the NWC, and our hardworking chairman. He is doing a good job, and I thank him very much,” President Tinubu said.

The APC National Chairman commended the President for endorsing the candidates and for taking time out of his busy schedule to present the flags to them.

President Bola Tinubu has assured foreign ambassadors in Nigeria that his administration is ready to maintain open lines of communication and cooperation, with a focus on advancing mutually beneficial economic opportunities across sectors.

The President gave the assurance while receiving the Letters of Credence of the Ambassador of Angola to Nigeria, Mr. Jose Bamoquine Zau; the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Nigeria, Mr. Pieter Leenknegt; the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Nigeria, Mr. Sevin Baera, and the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Nigeria, Mr. Albert Castelar.

In separate meetings with the Ambassadors, the President emphasized the importance of strong diplomatic relations and expressed his willingness to engage with the foreign missions.

He told the Ambassadors that the Foreign Ministry and the Office of his Chief of Staff would always be available to interact with the foreign missions and address any matter of concern.

"We will maintain an open-door policy. We are ready to do anything that will make your stay rewarding and our relationship strong. Do not hesitate to bring up any matter with the Foreign Minister or my Chief of Staff; they will bring it to my attention," the President said, while wishing the ambassadors the best in their duty tours.

During his meeting with the Angolan Ambassador, President Tinubu congratulated President Joao Lourenco of Angola on his re-election and referred to him "as a very good friend."

Receiving the Belgian Ambassador, President Tinubu acknowledged the active participation of Belgian companies in Nigeria’s maritime industry and expressed the need to strengthen political and economic cooperation, particularly in the maritime and energy sectors.

The President also exchanged views with the Ambassador on the potential dredging of Calabar port to make it more viable for revenue generation.

In his discussions with the Norwegian Ambassador, President Tinubu articulated his energy transition vision for Nigeria, stating that the transition from petroleum to gas to hydrogen is a priority for his administration.

He called on Norway and other EU-member countries to support the economic reform programmes of his administration, particularly in the areas of food security, preservation, and other key agro-allied investments.

‘‘You are a valuable partner, and we need your support. We have the population in Nigeria, and one out of every five black persons is a Nigerian. We must stimulate our economy. If Nigeria succeeds, Africa succeeds. This government is promoting a lot of reforms, and it is committed to improving the ease of doing business,’’ the President said.

The Angolan Ambassador expressed gratitude to Nigeria for its role in liberating his country from colonial rule and expressed his commitment to building sustainable partnerships between the two nations.

“I have four years to stay in the country, and I have the mandate of my President to build bridges between our countries. I am here to work to build a sustainable partnership,’’ he said.

Ambassador Pieter Leenknegt of Belgium discussed the commercial linkages that bind the port of Antwerp with ports in Lagos and Onitsha, while he expressed interest in expanding their presence to the Calabar port.

He also called for enhanced ministerial engagements between the two countries, noting the interest of Belgian companies in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.

Ambassador Baera of Norway congratulated President Tinubu on the recent affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.

‘‘The bold steps you have taken on economic reforms since your assumption of office have been well received by Norwegian firms,’’ he said.

Stressing the need to strengthen business partnerships between the two nations, the Ambassador noted that there was great interest of Norwegian firms in Nigeria’s agriculture and energy sectors, highlighting recent investments in Nigeria’s growing cocoa and solar panel industry.

The Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Nigeria called for the establishment of direct flights between Nigeria and Venezuela, even as he expressed his country’s desire to deepen economic partnerships between the two oil-producing nations across multiple sectors, in terms of trade and investment.