Nigeria's economy is now at a new dawn of the threshold to attract investments, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun has said.
He spoke this morning while welcoming the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who assumed office at the ministry, in Abuja, this morning.
Mr. Edun said that the two reforms (removal of fuel subsidy and the market determined foreign exchange rate) had opened the Nigerian economy to investors.
According to the minister, "All will be well as we go forward together to help complete the on-going economic reforms which are showing sustainability and signs of success.
"We do have for the first time in decades, the foreign exchange rate that is market-based. We do have market pricing of petroleum products. Those are the two fundamental reforms that were necessary and long over-due that Mr. President had the courage and boldness and dexterity socially and politically to implement and the determination to keep them implemented.
"So we stand on a threshold of a new dawn in terms of the ability of the economy to attract investment thereby increasing productivity, growing the GDP, creating jobs and reducing poverty."
He said he and the staff were excited at the posting of Dr. Uzoka-Anite to the ministry as Minister of State.
His words, "They are excited at this opportunity to have a woman of elegance, substance, refinement and diligence and with a known passion for hard-work. So we thank Mr. President on behalf of the ministry for giving us the Minister of State. I thank him for giving me a helper.
"I assure you of every support, encouragement and cooperation and let you know we want you to be free to express yourself, contribute and excel. As the Permanent Secretary of finance has said, we are all one family.
"As President Bola Tinubu has always encouraged us, it's all about consultation, cooperation, collaboration and team work. That is the basis of our efforts here together. And we are sure that you fit in smoothly. You will be like a duck going to the water."
In her response, Dr. Uzoka-Anite who was formerly the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said she was apprehensive at the posting but determined to complement Mr. Edun and make a success of it, in the interest of the economy.
She said, "It's a big privilege for me to be here to contribute to the development of Nigeria in this particular crucial sector-the finance sector. I just want to say that I am here to complement the efforts and the jobs that CME has been doing.
"It has been a challenging one year for you CME, especially since May 29 (2023) when the President took over and made that pronouncement. That was when that responsibility fell on your shoulders to guide and steer this economy towards economic stability and prosperity and also to make sure that the president's vision and mandate to his people, especially during his campaign manifesto is materialized.
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"It's a no small task that you have been given and coming to work with you, to be honest, I am a bit apprehensive. I know the amount of work and the pressure that you are under but again it is a privilege.
"I can only promise you sir, I am here to work with you, to support you, to complement your efforts to ensure that we achieve the mandate of his Excellency Mr. President and to uphold the honour and dignity of all Nigerians through your hard work.
"I am happy to be a part of your family and again to complement whatever everybody has been doing and I also look forward to more cooperation, collaboration, team and everything that will make us successful because when we succeed, Nigeria succeeds."
