By David Lawani, Abuja
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has tasked political appointees and government agencies with taking collective responsibility for delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
Yilwatda said the target could not be achieved by the Presidency alone, urging every ministry, department and agency to align its mandate, programmes and budget with the administration’s economic objectives.
The APC chairman spoke when he received a delegation of government officials and members of a forum of chief executive officers at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
He said political appointments should be regarded as a responsibility to deliver measurable results rather than merely occupy public offices.
According to him, the appointments reflected the confidence reposed in the officials by President Tinubu based on their competence, experience and commitment to the administration.
Yilwatda urged the appointees to actively support the implementation of government policies and programmes, warning that indifference could undermine the opportunity they had been given to contribute to national development.
He also called on government agencies to strengthen the communication of their achievements, saying inadequate communication could create a disconnect between government interventions and public understanding.
“Achievements do not speak for themselves. They must be communicated clearly, consistently and credibly,” he said.
Yilwatda said agencies implementing government programmes were strategically positioned to explain their projects, policies and outcomes to Nigerians and bridge the information gap between government and citizens.
On the $1 trillion economic ambition, the APC chairman said every government institution must identify how its mandate, programmes and budget could contribute to economic growth, productivity, job creation, investment and national development.
He likened the objective to former United States President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to Americans to put a man on the moon, saying ambitious national goals required collective action.
Yilwatda said the Renewed Hope Agenda was designed to create conditions for sustained economic growth, productivity, investment and prosperity, adding that every institution had a role to play in achieving the objectives.
He cited ongoing infrastructure investments, including deep-sea ports, transportation networks, energy infrastructure, logistics corridors, the coastal highway and rail expansion projects, as components of the administration’s broader economic strategy.
According to him, the projects are expected to improve the movement of goods and services, reduce transportation and logistics costs, stimulate economic activities and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a major trade gateway in West and Central Africa.
He also highlighted reforms in the energy sector, saying increased power generation and access would create opportunities for industrial growth and private-sector investment.
Yilwatda stressed that the various infrastructure projects and economic reforms should be viewed as interconnected components of a broader economic strategy rather than isolated government initiatives.
He called for stronger collaboration between the APC, government agencies and institutions, saying the party was ready to work with professionals and public officials to communicate government policies and achievements to Nigerians.
“Government alone cannot tell the story. Those implementing the programmes, interacting with citizens and witnessing the impact on communities must also participate in communicating the progress being made,” he said.
The APC chairman urged the officials to help Nigerians understand both the difficulties associated with the economic reforms and the opportunities and long-term benefits the policies were designed to create.
He said the party would continue to provide a platform for connecting the administration’s programmes and projects to the broader national development vision.
Yilwatda expressed appreciation to the delegation for its visit and willingness to partner with the party in advancing the administration’s economic objectives.
He said the $1 trillion ambition would require coordinated efforts by government institutions, the private sector, political stakeholders and citizens.
