Federal Govt To Communicate Reforms

The Federal Government has unveiled a new approach to public communication, shifting from reliance on periodic press briefings to direct, structured engagement with service-delivery ministries to ensure Nigerians clearly understand ongoing reforms and their benefits.

The initiative was disclosed on Wednesday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a strategic visit to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Abuja, as part of efforts to deepen the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Welcoming the delegation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, described the visit as both timely and strategic, noting that effective communication is crucial to the success of health sector reforms.

She said the ministry has recorded significant progress over the past two years but stressed that these achievements must be clearly communicated to Nigerians to boost trust, utilisation and public confidence.

Idris explained that his ministry is deliberately engaging key service-delivery ministries to ensure that government actions are adequately communicated to citizens.

He stressed that governance is incomplete without effective communication, noting, “what is not communicated is often assumed not to have happened.”

He commended the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for prioritising disease prevention, revitalisation of primary healthcare, medical industrialisation, expansion of cancer care services and the reduction of medical tourism, noting that the reforms have a direct and lasting impact on the lives and productivity of Nigerians.

The minister assured that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation would deploy its platforms and agencies to amplify health sector reforms, promote preventive health awareness and ensure accurate dissemination of information across the country.

In his remarks, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, stated that President Tinubu has placed health at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda because a healthy population is essential for national development and economic growth.

He explained that the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative focuses on strengthening governance, expanding access to quality healthcare, boosting local pharmaceutical manufacturing, improving health security and ensuring equitable access to care.

Professor Pate highlighted achievements in primary healthcare revitalisation, immunisation coverage, disease outbreak prevention, expansion of cancer treatment services and health insurance enrolment, noting that many successes in the health sector are measured by crises prevented rather than emergencies managed.

He added that effective communication is vital in helping citizens understand preventive healthcare and government investments.

Additionally, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, stated that the alignment between the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Health Sector Renewal Blueprint has provided clarity and direction for ongoing reforms.

He outlined improvements in digital health deployment, power supply to health facilities, workforce management and the reduction of industrial disputes through constructive engagement.

Dr Salako noted that Nigeria now has the capacity to manage many medical conditions locally, particularly in cancer care, thereby reducing medical tourism and attracting patients from neighbouring countries.

He emphasised the importance of sustained media engagement in fostering public trust and promoting national development.

The visit concluded with a shared commitment by both ministries to institutionalise collaboration, strengthen public awareness, and ensure that Nigerians fully understand, access, and benefit from ongoing health sector reforms in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.