Information Minister Mohammed Idris, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s primary goal is to rectify poor policies and dysfunctional choices that have historically hindered Nigeria’s progress.
Idris made this known while briefing the Diplomatic Community on the nationwide protest on Wednesday in Abuja.
Idris said, “Tinubu is addressing the poor policies and dysfunctional choices with bold and effective solutions, and not to impose hardship on Nigerians.
“Tinubu is determined to implement reforms that would drive sustainable growth and improve the quality of life for all citizens, stressing that the current challenges are only temporary.
“It is important to kick off on this note: that President Tinubu did not come to office to cause hardship or make life difficult for Nigerians.
“He has come to office with bold solutions to historical problems; with the determination to correct many of the poor policies and dysfunctional choices that have held us back as a nation for decades.
“The president assumed office during one of Nigeria’s most challenging periods in its history, where the country was spending 97 per cent of all its revenue on debt service.
“This is coupled with widespread poverty, rising unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, and insecurity.
Faced with these daunting realities, he said, the administration took decisive action and implemented long-overdue reforms to save the economy from collapse.
The minister said for decades, the costly, wasteful and unsustainable fuel subsidy regime had denied Nigeria the opportunity to invest in critical infrastructure, social service, and the welfare of its citizens.
He added that as a result of the waste, Tinubu took a very painful decision to abolish the fuel subsidy.
“He then redirected the funds towards critical sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security, which directly impact citizens’ well-being and the development of the country.”
The minister explained that Tinubu was not under any illusion that the withdrawal of fuel subsidy and the harmonization of foreign exchange rates would not come with some transitional pains.
“That informed the decision of the Federal Government to design comprehensive intervention programmes to cushion the transitional pains.
“We have been very determined about ensuring that these interventions are fully implemented, and bring the intended relief to Nigerians,” he said.
On the nationwide protest, Idris said the government respects the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, which are cornerstones of all democratic societies.
“But what began as a peaceful protest in some states and the Federal Capital Territory, was hijacked by elements who infiltrated the protest and orchestrated violent activities that destroyed lives and properties.
“There were reports of arson, vandalism, looting, and clashes with law enforcement agents in several cities. Tragically, these incidents led to the loss of innocent lives and significant damage to properties,”he said.
Idris, assured that the worst is over, adding that, the Federal Government has launched an investigation into the violence that occurred during the protest in order to identify and bring to justice all those responsible.
“We are committed to preventing the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents in the future.”
