By Salif Atojoko

President Bola Tinubu on Monday said he had no regret removing fuel subsidy.

The president, who stated this during his first media chat, said fuel subsidy removal was necessary to prevent the country from bankruptcy.

The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that Tinubu had, during his inauguration as president on May 29, 2023, announced the immediate removal of fuel subsidy, with the price of premium motor spirit (PMS) experiencing steady increase since then.

However, the price has started coming down gradually, particularly with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Refinery announcing downward review of the price of the commodity.

The president also said it was not necessary to phase the fuel subsidy removal.

“It is part of the fear that is unnecessary. No matter how you cut it or slice it in segments, you still have to meet the bills.

“So, cut your cloth according to your size. It is what we have to manage. Management is the issue, and we have no choice but to pull the brakes. Otherwise, we were headed for slippery slopes,” Tinubu said.

The president said that with fuel subsidy, the country was spending what was meant for future generations.

He was emphatic that the fuel subsidy removal was necessary to prevent smugglers from taking what belonged to Nigerians.

“That doesn’t affect me; it affects smuggling. Plus, you have expenditures that you don’t have revenue for.

“I don’t want to question people who have five limousines on the road. We should teach management with all our programmes. We have to manage our resources.

“There is no way you will give out fuel and allow the entire neighbouring countries enjoy it like father Christmas,” the president said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Wale Sadeeq

By Salif Atojoko

President Bola Tinubu on Monday said that the stampedes recently experienced during palliative distributions across the country were due to poor organisations.

The president, who said this during his first media chat, also attributed the mishaps to indiscipline on the part of the beneficiaries of the palliatives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that palliative distributions in Ibadan, Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory recently resulted in stampedes, with no fewer than 60 lives lost to the incidents.

“Are we looking at it from organisers’ point of view or are you looking at it from the goodwill gesture of the people trying to give out whatever they have?

“It is very sad that people are not well-organised. We just have to be more disciplined in our society,” the president said.

Although Tinubu commiserated with those who lost their family members, he, however, said that the stampedes could have been avoided.

“I have been giving out foodstuffs, commodities, clothing and envelopes for the past 25 years. I’ve never experienced this kind of incident because we are organised.

“We have to be disciplined as a country. If you don’t have enough to give, don’t attempt to even give or publicise it.

“Every society, even in America and Britain, they have food banks. They have hungry people. They have warehouses, but they are organised; they take tokens to be on the line to collect,” he said.

He likened the stampedes to what what usually happens at bus stops in the country where people don’t want to be on the queue.

“It is very sad, but it is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes.

“To me, I see this as a very grave error on the part of the organisers. But things are improving. It doesn’t kill our happiness for this season,” Tinubu said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

By Salif Atojoko
President Bola Tinubu says he has confidence in the security architecture of Nigeria.

The President said this during his maiden media chat on Monday.

“It is very unfortunate that we have had wanton killings in the past. I remember when I jumped into the campaign. I had to stop the campaign to pay condolence visits in Katsina, Kaduna, and others.

“Today, you can still travel by road. Before now, it was impossible.

“It takes one incident to mess up an organised environment. You cannot say the military was not prepared when the brigade battalion was attacked.

“You can’t laugh at your nation because of that; the enemies within and without are watching what you are doing,” said Tinubu. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma