* Insists: It was necessary
President Bola Tinubu has, once again, rationalized the removal of fuel subsidy by his administration, insisting that it was a “necessary” decision taken to secure the country’s future.
Tinubu had declared an end to the subsidy regime during his swearing-in ceremony on May 29, 2023, leading to a hike in transportation cost, and essential commodities.
There were protests and condemnation of the decision, which critics say has triggered untold hardship on the teeming masses.
But during his visit to Enugu State on Saturday, Tinubu defended the decision, and said it is needed for a better Nigeria.
“You are all a member of one big, huge family called Nigeria but living in different rooms in the same house. This house; we must build it; build it to satisfy our immediate need which is not going to be enough yet but for tomorrow too. That is why the removal of the fuel subsidy was necessary,” Tinubu said during a stakeholders meeting held at the Government House in Enugu on Saturday.
“You cannot spend the future of generations yet unborn in advance. Don’t bankrupt the nation before they are born. I know people will fight, grumble, abuse me, and everything but I asked for the job. I know what it takes. I believe in myself and I believe I can gather a very good team and build a nation.”
The president had touched down at the Enugu airport on a working visit to commission various projects by the State government. He is received by Governor Peter Mbah.
Tinubu called on Nigerians to show love for the country and shun negative comments about it.
“It is our country. We have to work really hard for it; to build a nation that we can be proud of. Change the narrative; negative comment about Nigeria? I’m not taking that! I’m very proud of Nigeria. You all should be proud of Nigeria,” he told the gathering which included Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, government functionaries, and other dignitaries present at the event.
Some of the projects the president commissioned during the visit to the Coal State are the multi-auditorium and multi-functional Enugu International Conference Centre; state-of-the-art command and control Centre/150 patrol vehicles fitted with AI-embedded surveillance cameras at the Government House.