President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced interventions to cushion the pains of fuel subsidy removal, in his speech to mark 63rd Independence, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, yesterday, urged the President to quick and efficient in marking his words with action by sending 2023 Budget to kick off the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) project and other projects in the gas value chain, which are cheaper than the use of fossil fuel.
According to the statement, the senator advised against extra budget expenditure, saying the legislature was ready to support and bring assistance to people. He stated that the National Assembly, under the leadership of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was poised to support the lofty programs of his administration, adding that a 2023 budget would be most appropriate, which is currently a major issue of contention in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In his Independence speech, the President had explained that,”At my inauguration, I made important promises about how I would govern this great nation. Among those promises, were pledges to reshape and modernise our economy and to secure the lives, liberty and property of the people.
“I said that bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy.” ln announcing the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, the implementation of the policy came with severe hardship on the people. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment.
He promised that though, “reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few.
“There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.
