Abuja: President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday attributed Nigeria’s development and growth challenges to the failure of previous administrations to adopt serious long-term planning frameworks. Tinubu spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while hosting a delegation of Enugu State stakeholders led by Gov. Peter Mbah.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the president stated that successive governments had attempted to finance long-term projects with short-term resources, a mismatch that hindered sustainable development. He emphasized the need for serious long-term outlooks for the country, expressing optimism that with committed and visionary leadership at subnational levels, Nigeria was on the right trajectory toward becoming a leading African nation.
Tinubu commended Mbah for transformative leadership in Enugu, citing visible improvements in security, infrastructure, education, and healthcare as evidence that reforms were yielding results. He assured the delegation of continued collaboration between the Federal Government and states to drive development, highlighting projects such as the Port Harcourt-Enugu rail line and power sector reforms as areas receiving sustained attention.
The president stressed the need for collective efforts across all tiers of government, urging state leaders to extend development initiatives to local governments for broader impact. Earlier, Mbah expressed gratitude for Federal Government’s interventions in the state and reaffirmed support for Tinubu’s administration. He mentioned the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and the establishment of the South East Development Commission as key interventions.
The governor highlighted reconstruction of sections of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and progress on the Enugu-Onitsha road as improvements that have enhanced connectivity, while the planned completion of the Port Harcourt-Enugu rail line is expected to boost economic activities in the region. Mbah noted significant reductions in security incidents in the state and improvements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
He reaffirmed the support of Enugu people for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election. Other members of the delegation included former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Gov. Sullivan Chime, and Chief Jim Nwobodo, among others.