President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated a national steering committee to oversee the development of the Nigeria Agenda 2050 and Medium-Term National Development Plan to succeed Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, 2017 – 2020.
Presidential Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, on Wednesday, disclosed this development in a statement titled “Agenda 2050: President Buhari inaugurates national steering committee, says the new development plan will lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.”
“The main objectives of these successor plans are to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next 10 years, particularly given the World Bank’s projection that Nigeria will become the world’s third most populous country by 2050 with over 400 million people,” the statement read.
For many Nigerians, the announcement came as another ‘big talk, no action.’ This is in light of the fact that Agenda 2050 is coming as a successor to Vision 20:2020; an ambitious drive by the previous administration intended to place Nigeria among the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020.
This goes without saying that Nigeria has had previous economic blueprints including Vision 2010- set up in 1996 as a projected economic plan for Nigeria to improve economically and guide the country out of poverty and other national crises, as well as the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, 2017 – 2020.
To some Nigerians who reacted on social media, Agenda 2050 seems like another avenue to pour millions of naira into a smoke cause, which in the end would be left unaccounted for. In the opinion of many, President Buhari has less than three more years left in power out of an 8-year term, so how far can this committee go? It almost seems like another way to procrastinate deliberate action and transfer Nigeria’s burdens to future administrations.
Economic planning translates beyond quick fixes. Just maybe this will finally push us to prosperity. But we are waiting for another 30 years?
As they say, in massive addy to us!
Toluwanimi Onakoya is a spirited writer, creative and videographer. Her biggest drive is to connect with people and depict tales using various forms of media.
Toluwanimi is available on Instagram and Twitter @nimi_onaks
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