Tinubu says no going back on punishing reforms despite public outcry

Despite the punishing effects of his reforms on many Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu has insisted that his administration will not disembark on its current trajectory.

The President disclosed this on Thursday, February 22, 2024, when he received a delegation from the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) led by Florizelle Liser, CCA’s President and Chief Executive Officer at the State House in Abuja.

Nigerians have been gritting their teeth through a biting economic condition resulting from the policies of the Federal Government.

Tinubu removed the subsidy on petrol on his first day in office and later floated the naira alongside floods of other reforms.

However, despite the untold hardship these reforms have brought the citizens, the President defended his government's decisions and expressed optimism that the nation will overcome the present challenges.

“I am happy that the Council is interested in various segments of Nigeria’s economy. We are right in the middle of a challenging stage of our reforms. We have headwinds, no doubt, but we are not going back.

“We are challenged, and we believe we will overcome the challenges. I have a can-do attitude that must be translated into a must-do attitude. We have a good team, and we must remain focused to get the goal accomplished,” presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale quoted Tinubu as saying.

The President commended the recent landing of a 45,000-kilometre submarine fibre optic cable in Akwa Ibom State, which establishes connectivity for the entire South-South region of Nigeria with Europe and other parts of Africa via the Atlantic Ocean.

Highlighting the significance of this accomplishment, the President noted that with the right policies, partnerships, and determination, Nigeria can overcome long-standing developmental challenges that have encumbered rapid progress across sectors.

He reaffirmed his commitment to creating an enabling environment for business to thrive, emphasising that his administration’s focus on investing in sectors such as agriculture, solid minerals, energy, health, physical infrastructure, trade promotion, financial services, digital enterprise, and the creative economy, is underpinned by the need to ensure the welfare and prosperity of citizens.

”I am happy that the Council is interested in various segments of Nigeria’s economy. We are right in the middle of a challenging stage of our reforms. We have headwinds, no doubt, but we are not going back.

”We are challenged, and we believe we will overcome the challenges. I have a can-do attitude that must be translated into a must-do attitude. We have a good team, and we must remain focused to get the goal accomplished,” he added.