Tinubu: Our reforms, investments target long term prosperity
By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja/ Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta/Oluwakemi Dauda • Commissions airport, airline, infrastructure projects in Ogun President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said yesterday that the sweeping economic reforms and infrastructure investments
By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja/ Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta/Oluwakemi Dauda
• Commissions airport, airline, infrastructure projects in Ogun
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said yesterday that the sweeping economic reforms and infrastructure investments of his administration were designed to secure long-term prosperity for Nigerians.
The ongoing policy and infrastructure interventions, according to him, are anchored on improving citizens’ well-being and unlocking sustainable growth across sectors.
He spoke at the commissioning of the Gateway International Airport, Iperu in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
“Our investment is about our people. The infrastructure underscores our faith in our country; the belief that today’s foundation is for tomorrow’s prosperity,” the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga quoted him as saying.
The airport, built by the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun, is powered by an independent energy source, which the President described as a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s infrastructure backbone.
In a series of complementary initiatives, Tinubu also launched two aircraft under the Gateway Airline, 1,000 electric bikes, security vehicles and agricultural tractors.
He said development must be holistic and impactful at every level and expressed delight at “the mobility, the security and the agricultural initiatives being fulfilled today.”
READ ALSO: Crisis hits Cross River community as bandits plunder forest reserve
He described the adoption of electric bikes as a smart, technology-driven response to modern transportation needs and a shift toward cleaner energy alternatives.
The President commended Nigerians for their continued support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that recent reforms have translated into increased resources for sub-national governments, enabling them to execute impactful development projects.
He expressed satisfaction at the governors' prudent utilisation of these resources and praised Abiodun for aligning Ogun State's development agenda with the federal government's Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu, who visited Jos on Wednesday to console the families and victims of the Palm Sunday's deadly attack by terrorists, which left at least 19 people dead, said his administration remained focused in its war against insecurity.
Tinubu also lauded the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for reforms that have enhanced ease of doing business and improved staff welfare.
He inaugurated a new Customs hub comprising barracks, a training college, a warehouse and a hospital.
Governor Abiodun said all the legacy projects executed by his administration were borne out of shared commitment to the overall infrastructural development of Nigeria.
Abiodun said his administration would continue to partner the federal government towards driving national development.
He described the President's presence at the commissioning as not only historic and symbolic but also a reflection of his commitment to national development and strong belief in sub-nationals governments as engines of growth.
The governor said: "As you have rightly said, there can be no development without discipline in governance and clarity of purpose.
“That clarity is evident in your bold economic reforms—particularly the unification of the foreign exchange system, the removal of fuel subsidies, and the repositioning of public finances to reflect market realities."
"These courageous decisions are restoring investor confidence, attracting capital inflows and repositioning Nigeria as a competitive global destination".
"Your Excellency, the Gateway International Airport stands as a defining legacy of this administration. Built from the ground up and now fully operational, it features a nearly four-kilometre runway capable of handling large aircraft, a modern control tower, advanced aviation systems, and cargo facilities. It is the centerpiece of our emerging aerotropolis"
Abiodun commended President Tinubu for all the initiatives introduced by his administration, which he said have helped in laying the foundation for long-term prosperity of the country, citing the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Programme, student loan schemes, rail modernization and major highway projects—including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway— as strong factors in resetting the national economy."
He said:"Your administration has also shown courage in tackling fiscal leakages, promoting local production, and improving the ease of doing business through regulatory reforms.
"This renewed focus on infrastructure financing, public-private partnerships, and investment in agriculture, power and transportation is laying the foundation for long-term prosperity."
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while commending the President's democratic antecedents, said that the National Assembly remained a veritable tool for deepening democracy in Nigeria. Akpabio maintained that without the parliament, there would not be democracy.
The Senate President thanked the President for several key reforms and ideas that he brought to fruition.
President Tinubu was credited as the first to initiate Independent Power Plants in Lagos; a model that other states across Nigeria have since adopted.
Akpabio appealed to the President to decentralise the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for a more effective power system.
He lauded the President for his strong belief in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), starting with significant growth in Lagos' revenue and implementing reforms at the federal level to empower sub-nationals financially.
"This has enabled states to avoid borrowing for salaries and projects, leading to widespread appreciation from governors," Akpabio said.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on behalf of himself and the people of the state, thanked President Tinubu for his visionary and purposeful leadership and tenacity.
"When Ogun State was created 50 years ago, I was part of the process. Nobody at the time would have thought we would have what we have today. And it is due to what we have got from all the governors and those who have worked with all the governors," the former President said.
In attendance in Iperu yesterday were former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba; Senator Gbenga Daniel; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State; Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State; Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State; and Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Senator Iyabo Obasanjo; ex-Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Tunde Lemo; CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso; Borno State Governor BabaGana Zulum; Chief Femi Majekodunmi; the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Abdul- Rasaq Adenugba; and the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle.
Industrialists Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola; Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu; Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, among others, also graced the occasion.
