From: Basil Obasi, Abuja

The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians that it has both the execution capacity and political will to drive the implementation of the recently released Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), to achieve the desired objectives.

The assurance follows apprehensions in some quarters that Nigeria’s challenge has never been that of crafting beautiful plans, but more of lack of the necessary will to implement them.

Answering questions on Nigerian Television Authority’s breakfast programme, Good Morning Nigeria, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma said right from the onset, the present administration had given clear indications that it is interested in planning and following up its plans with action.

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To underscore the importance government places on implementation, the Minister explained that a Delivery Unit is being established in the Presidency as a vehicle for driving implementation. Domiciling the Unit in the Presidency is to have the clout of the President behind it.

According to him, government is focused on delivering on the core objectives as well as driving the execution priorities of the plan for the speedy recovery of the economy and to set it on the path of inclusive and sustained growth.

He stressed the role of the private sector in the success of the plan, pointing out that most of the activities that will create jobs and grow the industrial sector will be driven by the private sector; but he added that government has a responsibility to lay the groundwork that will allow the private sector to flourish.

Udoma said: “We are engaging with the private sector constantly and continuously in order to integrate them into the implementation process. We will look at every single sector, meet with them, define targets and work with them; and in doing so they will have clarity in terms of what government expects from them”, he explained.