‘A good govt must take bold decisions,’ Presidency reacts to backlash over fuel price hike

The presidency on Sunday reacted to criticisms trailing the recent hike in the price of petrol and electricity.

In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, the presidency commended President Muhammadu Buhari for having the courage to take the decisions that would ultimately improve the living conditions of Nigerians.

Many Nigerians including civil society groups and labour unions had condemned the recent increase in the price of petrol and electricity by the Federal Government.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) said on Saturday it would go ahead with its planned rally against the fuel price hike slated for Tuesday.

But Shehu insisted that despite the multiple challenges of COVID-19, low earnings, near-collapse of the oil market, floods, threats of terrorism and banditry, a good government must take decisions for the people’s good.

He added that successive governments before Buhari’s administration lacked the courage to take bold decisions for the citizens.

The presidential aide described the reforms that led to the increase in fuel price and electricity as “necessary and overdue.”

He said the government has worked hard to meet many expectations in the last five years, adding that there are still “certain tough decisions” that must be taken to reposition the country.

READ ALSO: No going back on protest against fuel price hike —TUC

Shehu said: “The All Progressives Congress came to power in 2015 defeating an incumbent administration amidst very high expectations from President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Five years on, the administration has worked hard to meet many expectations, but still, there are certain tough decisions which had to be taken to put back the country on the path of sustainable development.

“To stop the mismanagement of taxpayer money, eliminate corruption associated with subsidies on petroleum products, power, fertilizer among others, the administration took the decision to implement long-delayed reforms, withdraw and allow the market to determine their prices.

“Subsidy removal in these sectors had long been foreseen by successive administrations as game changers in search of solutions to move forward with the nation’s development. These are reforms that are necessary and overdue. Blueprint upon blueprint, timeline upon timeline had come and gone but courage to take bold decisions was not there.”

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