Tinubu’s govt not focused on imposing hardship on Nigerians — Minister

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that the primary focus of President Bola Tinubu’s administration is not to impose hardship on Nigerians but to correct poor policies and dysfunctional choices that have historically hindered Nigeria’s progress with bold and effective solutions.

Idris made this statement in Abuja on Wednesday while briefing the diplomatic community on the recent nationwide protest at a meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said President Tinubu is determined to implement reforms that will drive sustainable growth and improve the quality of life for all citizens, emphasizing that the current challenges are only temporary.

“It is important to start on this note: 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 and a 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, with the country spending 97% of its revenue on debt service, coupled with widespread poverty, rising unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, and insecurity.

Faced with these daunting realities, the administration took decisive action and implemented long-overdue reforms to save the economy from collapse,” he said.

Furthermore, the Minister noted that for decades, the costly, wasteful, and unsustainable fuel subsidy regime had denied Nigeria the opportunity to invest in critical infrastructure, social services, and the welfare of its citizens.

Hence, the President made the difficult decision to abolish the fuel subsidy and redirect the funds towards critical sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security, which directly impact citizens’ well-being and the country’s development.

Idris pointed out that the President was not under any illusion that the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy and the harmonization of foreign exchange rates would come without some transitional pains—situations that informed the decision of the Federal Government to design comprehensive intervention programs to cushion these pains.

“We have been very determined to ensure that these interventions are fully implemented and bring the intended relief to Nigerians,” he stated.

Regarding the nationwide protest, the Minister said the government respects the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, which are cornerstones of all democratic societies.

However, he stressed that what began as a peaceful protest in some states and the Federal Capital Territory was soon hijacked by elements who infiltrated the protest and orchestrated violent activities that resulted in the destruction of lives and property.

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“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 property.

“In response to these unforeseen events, the Federal Government acted swiftly to restore peace and order. It is important to emphasize that the security forces were instructed to exercise maximum restraint and adhere to international standards in managing civil protests.

They have indeed worked diligently to ensure the safety of all law-abiding Nigerians and maintain order over the past week.

However, they have also been decisive in their response to criminality, and it is important to distinguish this from their commendable approach to legitimate protests,” he said.

The Minister assured the diplomatic community that the worst is over and stated that the Federal Government has launched an investigation into the violence that occurred during the protest to identify and bring to justice all those responsible.

“We are committed to preventing the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents in the future,” he concluded.