By Oghenefejiro Emado
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has said the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration are now translating into improved purchasing power and increased economic activities at the grassroots.
Aniagwu stated that the benefits of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda are gradually moving from macroeconomic indicators to household level, through deliberate interventions by state governments, particularly the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in Delta State.
He spoke on Wednesday as a panelist at a one-day seminar themed “Harnessing the Gains of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the MORE Agenda Ahead of 2027,” held at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
According to the commissioner, the major gain of the reforms is that improved government finances have given states greater capacity to invest in infrastructure, clear outstanding obligations, empower citizens and stimulate local economies.
He noted that the impact should not be judged by statistics alone, but by how increased government resources are now entering the pockets of workers, contractors, artisans, traders and small business owners, thereby boosting their ability to spend.
Aniagwu explained that when government pays salary arrears and other entitlements, the money immediately circulates in the local economy, adding that the same multiplier effect applies to infrastructure projects such as roads and school renovations, where funds flow to contractors, suppliers and community labourers.
He cited the ongoing renovation of schools and massive road and flyover projects across Delta as practical examples of how public spending is opening up communities, easing movement of goods and services, and creating jobs and income opportunities at the grassroots.
The commissioner further said the administration was injecting funds directly into the local economy through targeted empowerment for small businesses and farmers, noting that even modest interventions could have significant multiplier effects when beneficiaries expand their businesses, hire labour and restock.
On employment, Aniagwu said government was being deliberate about recruitment into the teaching service, with a comprehensive needs assessment underway to determine teacher-student ratio, subject gaps and facility availability to ensure efficient deployment of resources.
He urged stakeholders to effectively communicate the link between economic stabilisation, increased revenue, public spending and improved household welfare, stressing that the ultimate test of both the Renewed Hope and MORE Agenda is how ordinary Nigerians feel the impact in their daily lives, adding that “the taste of the pudding is in the eating.”
