Speaking at the event, Buhari said the ERGP was built on the Strategic Implementation Plan and set out an ambitious road-map to return the economy to growth and achieve a seven percent growth rate 2020.

He also noted that the ERGP brought all sectoral plans for agriculture and food security as well as energy and transport infrastructure, industrialisation and social investments together in a single document.

Buhari emphasised that with the launching of the plan, his administration’s aim was simply to optimise local content and empower local businesses.

He said the government sought not just to take the Nigerian economy out of recession, but to place it on a path of sustained, inclusive and diversified growth.

“We are determined to change Nigeria from an import dependent country to a producing nation. We must become: A nation where we grow what we eat and consume what we produce,” he stated.

President Buhari also said “we must strive to have a strong Naira and productive economy.”

The president commended the Ministry of Budget and National Planning for successfully coordinating the Plan’s development and the Economic Management Team for overseeing the drafting of the Plan.

The president said he was pleased to present the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan for use “the Nigerian people, our friends and partners and to guide our development efforts over the next four years.”

Budget and National Planning Minister Udoma Udoma disclosed that Buhari had approved that a special delivery unit be created in the Presidency to monitor the execution of the plan and remove all bottlenecks to its implementation.

He said the though the ERGP outlined about 60 initiatives, it focused on five execution priorities central to achieving the seven percent growth projected the end of 2020.

He listed the priorities as stabilising the macro-economic environment, achieving agriculture and food security as well as expanding energy infrastructure and driving industrialisation through local and small business enterprises.

The event was attended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum Abdulaziz Yari.

Source: Daily Trust