The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, supports Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, even though it made living costs and prices go up.
The minister explained that the country’s economy was already facing problems, and Tinubu believes removing the subsidy is necessary to fix it.
He expected there would be difficulties but believes it’s better for future development because it frees up resources.
Malagi has defended the removal of fuel subsidy by Tinubu, despite the soaring cost of living and inflation which have trailed the removal, saying things could have been worse if it wasn’t removed.
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Fuel subsidy removal saw the price of petrol move from N190 to over N600 per litre, with the cost of living increasing afterward.
The minister said:
“You’re premising your argument on the fact that this problem just started yesterday. The foundation of our economy had taken a beating a long time ago.
“The substructure of our national economy has been one that cannot hold a meaningful substructure on it.
“So, it is important that Nigerians recognise that Tinubu and his team would have to go back to reset that and that is why from day one, he said, ‘look, subsidy issue has to go’.
“He had to expect that there would be this pain, of course. He anticipated that Nigerians would encounter some difficulties but it would be worse if that subsidy did not go.
“It would have been difficult to carry out any meaningful development. We needed to free up resources.”