A former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Kebbi State, Mallam Salihu Isa Nataro, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review his economic reforms to ensure they deliver immediate relief and tangible benefits to Nigerians.
Nataro, who made the call while assessing the country’s economic situation, also appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider further borrowing, warning that continued accumulation of debt could expose Nigeria to a debt trap.
He said the rising population, high cost of living and declining purchasing power required the government to strengthen social safety nets and prioritise policies capable of improving the welfare of citizens.
According to him, the growing national debt and rising living costs have raised concerns over the impact of some of the reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.
Nataro also criticised what he described as the spending of trillions of naira on projects without commensurate visible impact on citizens, urging the government to cut unnecessary expenditure and redirect resources towards productive investments.
He said President Tinubu should use the remaining months of his first term to address the purchasing power crisis by mobilising domestic capital, attracting foreign investment and deploying tax revenues towards industrialisation.
Nataro argued that greater investment in productive sectors would create jobs, reduce youth unemployment and contribute to tackling insecurity, including banditry and kidnapping.
He also backed calls for institutional reforms in the fight against corruption, saying suggestions by former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on reforming anti-graft institutions deserved consideration.
“On this note, as an ardent supporter of President Tinubu, I think the opposition, especially Atiku Abubakar, has suggested one of the policy thrusts that should not be neglected by the current administration, which dictates that genuine reform should be based on establishing a separate tribunal for corruption agencies,” he said.
Nataro further called for the implementation of the Oronsaye Report, which recommended the restructuring and consolidation of government ministries, departments and agencies.
He said implementing the recommendations would help reduce the cost of governance and bring the Nigerian civil service closer to international standards.
He said Nigeria would struggle to achieve meaningful economic progress without what he described as an “urgent surgical operation” to reduce government spending, eliminate unnecessary expenditure and modernise the police with adequate communication equipment.
Nataro said while the Tinubu administration had made progress in some areas, there was a need to ensure that members of the cabinet were adequately aligned with the administration’s policy direction.
“The President is making headway, but the composition of his current cabinet does not demonstrate familiarity with his policy directions,” he said.
He expressed concern over spending in the education and agriculture sectors, arguing that increased budgetary allocations should translate into measurable improvements in service delivery and agricultural production.
Nataro also criticised what he described as the construction of infrastructure without adequate consideration for the economic value and human resources required to sustain such projects.
“State governors are busy building hospitals without thinking about requisite personnel to man them. They are also constructing roads and undertaking repairs with no economic values accruing from the projects, thereby making them cosmetic in nature,” he said.
On national security, Nataro called for institutional reforms within the military, including at the Defence Academy, Command and Staff College and War College, before further expansion of military equipment procurement.
He said Nigeria should develop local military tactics and scientific knowledge while continuing to receive necessary assistance from foreign partners.
Nataro, who is also a public-sector reform advocate, urged the Federal Government to provide incentives for Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to expand investment in Nigeria.
He also called for measures that would encourage Dangote’s international business partners and other foreign investors to consider Nigeria a viable investment destination.
