President Bola Tinubu had said the rise in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as petrol, is a very crucial decision in order to foster Nigerias growth.
The President, who made this known on Friday, during his meeting with Nigerians in Beijing, China, after rounding-off his official engagements in the country, stated this through a statement by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale.
While stating the hike in the petrol price hike and other adjustments by the current administration are part of the agenda to place Nigeria on economic growth, he noted that the decisions taken are very bold and unprecedented.
According to him, Nigeria is going through reforms; and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. He said, “For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices.
But, can we help it? Can we develop good roads like you have here? You see electricity being constant in quantity and quality. You see water supply, constant and running, and you see their good schools. And we say we want to hand over a banner without stain to our children? What is the critical part to get us there if we cannot take hard decisions to pave the way for a country that is blessed and so talented? So many of you are so talented, speaking very fluent Mandarin. It is what you contribute and tell them at home that will reflect in the attitude of our people”.
“The more you want everything free, it will become more expensive and long-delayed to achieve meaningful development,, he stressed.
The President described it as difficult to have agreement on national matters, but insisted that he is ready to embark on the hard decisions to move the nation forward.
Recall that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), had earlier this month hiked the pump price of PMS to over N855 across its retail outlets amid long queues at filling stations but sells above N1,000 per litre in petrol stations.
However, Minister of State (Oil) Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, on Thursday, said the Federal Government was not responsible for the recent increase in petrol price across the country.
