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AT 2ND CHRONICLE ROUNDTABLE:
AT 2ND CHRONICLE ROUNDTABLE:
- President Tinubu Taking Wise, Statesmanly Decisions – Assures VP Shettima
- Lists subsidy removal, other policies as options taken to save Nigeria
- Says nation’s economy will witness positive changes after the sacrifices
By: Our Reporter
Again, Vice President Kashim Shettima has implored Nigerians to be patient with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he steers the ship of state through the economic turbulence and storm he met on ground on assumption of office.
“Soon, Nigeria’s economy will experience significant growth once we’ve overcome these sacrifices. Positive changes will soon be evident across all economic indicators – inflation, per capita income, GDP numbers, poverty reduction, food security, and all aspects close to the hearts of our people,” he declared.
Senator Shettima made the appeal on Thursday during the 2nd Chronicle Roundtable organized by 21st Century Media Services, publishers of 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE, as part of its public service enlightenment series, at Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
The Vice President who was the Guest Speaker at the roundtable explained some key policy decisions taken by the Tinubu administration as well as its Economic and Social Agenda, including the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, which he described as the ‘biggest elephant in the room’ before President Tinubu took charge.
Appealing for patience and time to address the serious challenges he said they met on ground, especially the nation’s ailing economy which was already tottering towards an eclipse, Shettima said, “We look forward to the positive impact on the economy that will be brought by some of our new initiatives in the oil and gas sector, creative arts sector, the newly rejigged steel and solid minerals sectors, our housing sector, the blue economy, and the digital sectors, to mention but a few.
“There is no doubt that there’s a time to plant and a time to reap. In between those times, we appeal for patience and seek collective sacrifice from all, especially from us. We wish there were a way to treat this ailment without surgery”.
While delivering his speech titled, “Because These Shortcuts Are Not The Right Ways,” the VP noted that though the decision to remove fuel subsidy was quite tough considering its negative impact on the lives of the citizens, it became an inevitable option when it was discovered that the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari did not make provision for it in the 2023 budget.
He explained: “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, chose the option that would save the life of the nation, instead of one that would merely prolong its imminent and predicted economic death. Before we took charge, the biggest elephant in the room was the question of fuel subsidy removal.
“We understood why our predecessor made the decision to remove it and refused to budget for it in their final fiscal year. The year before we took office, Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio had grown to 111.8%. The anticipated debt crisis may sound like fancy economic jargon to the man on the street, but you and I are in a better position to understand how such miscalculations have played out in other countries. It’s an economic death sentence.
“In plain terms, our debt servicing was such that if you earned, say, N100,000, the entirety of the money wasn’t only paid to your debtor; you were forced to borrow an additional N11,800 to pay the debtor. How do you intend to survive this, and how many more loans before you become a pariah?
“We are not even discussing the nation’s budget deficits, diversions of resources from critical sectors of the economy, and corruption masterminded in the subsidy regime.”
Acknowledging that government is a continuum, the VP said whoever had “succeeded the previous government would have either chosen to steer the ship through the storm as President Tinubu is doing or jumped ship and let the country implode.”
He observed that those who contested the presidency with President Tinubu did not feel morally justified to question the decision to remove fuel subsidy because it was part of the solutions they also tabled before Nigerians.
“This was because, whether in handling the subsidy matter or the forex crisis, they had also promised the solutions we had adopted. Those who attempted to eat their words were instantly proven wrong by data, history, and their antecedents—those emotionless reality checkers,” he pointed out.
Senator Shettima regretted that for long Nigeria had endured economic sabotage, leading to the resolve by Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Cardoso, and the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, “to take matters into their hands to neutralise the overpowering influence of currency manipulators who had conspired to frustrate our reforms.
“Today, I stand proud to say that their interventions have translated into desired results, and Naira’s pushback against all odds is an inspiring journey that doesn’t have to be learned in Buenos Aires, as some would want us to do,” he added.
Earlier in his opening remarks, chairman of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and former Finance Minister, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, praised the content of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration, describing it as one of the most detailed and carefully crafted policy document in the history of the country.
He stressed the need for the Renewed Hope Agenda document to be reviewed and integrated into the medium and long-term development framework of the country, noting that policy consistency with a long-term vision to transform critical sectors of the economy, is the way to go.
Dr Usman also commended the administration’s establishment of a central coordination delivery unit to track the performance of programmes, policies and key interventions of the Federal Government, insisting that the monitoring of key performance indicators in the policy document was critical to the success of the government.
On his part, the CEO of 2nd Chronicle Newspaper, Malam Mahmud Jega had while welcoming guests to the event, said the need to critically analyse government policies and programmes was not just an expectation from the media but indeed borne out of the necessity to collectively contribute in shaping the nation’s development trajectory.
Also present at the event were the Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed; Chairman of 21st Century Chronicle, Amb. Gbara Awanen; notable leaders in the media industry, Dr Ishaq Moddibo Kawu; Mallam Garba Shehu; Mr Segun Adeniyi, and Malam Mahmud Jega, among others.
AT 2ND CHRONICLE ROUNDTABLE:
Calm returns to Pulka after Wednesday night attack on the town
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Residents of Pulka who ran to the bush yesterday night have returned home even as the troops of the Nigerian military repelled attempts by insurgents from sacking the town.
The insurgents too residents hinted did not leave without injecting their trade marks on the base of the military in the community leaving about three soldiers dead.
A source who wanted anonymity said that she had to run out of her house with her neighbors at about ten pm wednesday evening into the thick savannah to hide so that they are not attacked, killed or abducted when the criminals entered the community.
“We were all relaxing in our homes when the sounds of gun fire rented the air. Not knowing what to do we locked our doors and waited indoors while praying that the worse should not happen to us residents.
” Towards 10.30 pm the artillery blasts became intensified. Then suddenly, we heard the voices of soldiers telling us to run away into the bush showing us the safe direction to go into the dark while they stayed back to face the criminals.
” We stayed in the bush untill around 1 am when word reached one of our neighbors that the coast was clear to return to base. So by two am some of us were back into our residences trying to survive as usual.
” Nobody could sleep in the bush regardless of our tiredness which we were going through. We came back only to hear that the base of our military protectors was sacked and burnt down leaving three soldiers dead in as at the wee hours of the night.
” Very sad indeed. I feel for them because they are going to start a fresh. Sadly, this has been the routine which we have been following since a couple of years ago, I started working for my agency in this town.” She lamented.
Pulka which is about 109 km is at the foot of the Mandara mountains which is the hot bed of Boko Haram in Borno State.
Calm returns to Pulka after Wednesday night attack on the town
Zulum Rolls Out 20 Electric Buses to Cushion Petrol Price Hike
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has directed the immediate deployment of 20 luxury electric buses for public use as part of measures to cushion the impact of the recent petrol price hike on residents.
The buses, which were inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 20th December, 2025, alongside 3,000 electric bicycles, 500 electric tricycles, and 100 electric vehicles aimed at improving transportation services across the state.
The rollout of the buses, which commenced on Friday, 3rd April, features a fleet of 17 buses with 49 seating capacity, two 37-seaters, and one 28-seater. They are currently being deployed across major routes within Maiduguri metropolis and its environs to ease the burden of rising transport costs on commuters.
The Fully air-conditioned and energy-efficient vehicles can cover over 400 kilometres on a single charge. This initiative complements the existing fleet of buses and salon cars earlier procured by the Zulum administration to enhance urban mobility.
To ensure seamless operations, the governor has also established the largest electric vehicle charging terminal in the country, with the capacity to charge up to 50 vehicles at a time.
To further protect residents from the ripple effects of the global energy crisis, Governor Zulum directed Borno Express Transport Service to maintain a subsidised fare of N50 per drop.
The intervention has already begun to yield positive results, with noticeable reductions in congestion and improved access to affordable transportation for students, civil servants, traders, and other residents.
Commuters have since commended the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful.
“This transport initiative is indeed commendable. We are not feeling the impact of the rising transportation costs, as fares remain at N50 per drop. We thank Governor Zulum for the gesture”.
The initiative forms part of Governor Zulum’s effort to promote green energy, modernise transportation system and provide relief to the vulnerable.
Zulum Rolls Out 20 Electric Buses to Cushion Petrol Price Hike
Youth Exclusion Could Derail Development Goals, UN Issues Urgent Warning
By: Michael Mike
A senior United Nations official has issued a strong warning that governments and institutions risk deepening instability and policy failure if they continue to sideline young people, insisting that meaningful youth inclusion is now a critical condition for peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Speaking in Abuja at an interactive session with youth, the United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs and Head of UN Youth Affairs, who is currently on an official visit to Nigeria, Mr. Felipe Paullier, said global institutions are failing to evolve at the pace required to match today’s rapidly changing realities, particularly the demographic shift driven by an unprecedented youth population.
The event, themed “Open-Door Youth Engagement,” convened youth-led organizations, young women’s groups, youth peacebuilders, innovators, students, young professionals, persons with disabilities, and underserved youth communities for an interactive dialogue with representatives of the Government and the United Nations.
According to Paullier, young people now represent the largest, most educated, and most interconnected generation in history, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. However, this demographic advantage is being undermined by persistent gaps in access to quality education and limited opportunities for meaningful participation in governance.
He noted that: “Engaging young people in policy is not just an option—it is a condition if we want to achieve peace, stability, and effective solutions.”
He said the UN acknowledged a growing disconnect between policy formulation and real-world impact, describing the process of closing this gap as complex but urgent.
He admitted that while global frameworks exist, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and youth-focused strategies, implementation at the national level remains inconsistent.
LHe emphasized that governments must move beyond rhetoric and adopt clear, actionable commitments that integrate youth voices into decision-making processes.
He said central to this effort is the UN’s broader development roadmap, which includes commitments to embed youth participation not only at global levels but also within country-level governance and policy execution.
Addressing concerns over the sustainability of policies, he warned that many initiatives fail because they are not designed to endure or adapt over time. The solution, the official argued, lies in institutionalizing youth engagement rather than treating it as a temporary or symbolic exercise.
He noted that nearly half of the world’s population under 30, and significantly higher percentages across Africa, the stakes are even higher for countries on African continent.
He said: “Youth engagement should not be seen as a project—it must be embedded at the heart of governance, financing, and development planning.”
The UN also called for increased investment in youth-driven innovation, noting that young Nigerians are already transforming sectors such as agriculture, technology, and the creative economy through ingenuity and entrepreneurship.
Youth Exclusion Could Derail Development Goals, UN Issues Urgent Warning
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