Economic Crisis: What Dangote, Rabiu, Elumelu said after meeting with Tinubu
By Uzezi Samuel
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday met with members of the organised private sector and some state governors to discuss the state of the Nigerian economy and the biting hardship Nigerians are currently facing.
The meeting which had some state governors in attendance also discussed the crumbling rate of the Naira to the Dollar.
Members of the private sector present at the meeting are:
Aliko Dangote, chairperson of Dangote Group of Companies; Abdulsamad Rabiu, the chairman of BUA Group; Tony Elumelu, chairperson of United Bank of Africa (UBA); and Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director-general, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
The governors of Ogun and Anambra states, Dapo Abiodun and Charles Soludo, were also present at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Mr Tinubu told the business persons that the meeting was to look at what the government is doing right and what can be done better to bring life back to the economy.
He said while the government does not have all the answers, it would continue trying until it “fashioned the best economic future for this country.”
“Like I said, many times, the people of this country are only the people who we have to please. And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that every one of us will have to fetch water from the same well,” he said.
”We’re looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide that hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way.”
Dangote, Rabiu, Elumelu speak
Speaking after the meeting, Messrs Dangote and Rabiu of BUA Group noted that the meeting was exhaustive and left them optimistic.
“I think we had a very good meeting and what we discussed is generally about the economy, food security and security of the nation. We discussed everything in detail,” Mr Dangote said, adding, “There is the economic presidential advisory committee which has been set up and I think this will look at all the issues and address them, coming from job creation, food security, coming from also reflected the economy.”
“So, all these things they have been discussed in detail. I can’t give you all the details right now, but we are hopeful and we’re a great nation. We have what it takes to turn around the economy and we’re going to do that.”
On his part, Mr Rabiu said the downward slope of the Naira’s rate to the Dollar is inauthentic and commended the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) effort in addressing the challenge.
