President Bola Tinubu again on Saturday, December 4, 2024 stated that his administration’s decision to remove petrol subsidy was aimed at saving the country from going bankrupt, and to meet the immediate and future needs of the country.
The president spoke at the Enugu Government House during an interactive session with South East stakeholders.
“We must build this house called Nigeria to not just satisfy our immediate need but our tomorrow too,” Tinubu told his audience that included serving and past governors from the South East, other top government officials and traditional rulers.
He was in the state for a one-day visit.
He added: “That is why the removal of the fuel subsidy was necessary. We cannot spend the future of generations yet unborn. Don’t bankrupt the nation before they’re born.”
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He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the completion of the Eastern Rail Line, which is expected to connect Port Harcourt and Maiduguri.
The President emphasised the rail link’s potential to boost Nigeria’s non-oil exports and economic growth.
“It is work in progress. I inherited some of these critical problems and I am committed to solving them,” he said.
He also pledged to ensure adequate support for the development of the gas industry and the development of the resource-rich Anambra Basin.
“Sure, gas is an alternative to petrol. There is no wasting of time than to invest more in it. We will do it together, and I am lucky I have good governors,” he said.
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The Anambra Basin is estimated to hold up to one billion barrels of oil and 30 billion cubic feet of gas.
A former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, and Enugu State indigene, Chris Ugoh, tabled before the president requests on behalf of the geo-political zone.
Nebo had applauded the President and appealed to him to prioritise the completion of the remaining portions of the rail link.
Ugoh noted that the Anambra Basin has the potential to support power generation and industrial feedstock.
He appealed to the Federal Government to develop this resource to benefit the South East and other regions of the country, including the Middle Belt and the North.
Onyemauche Nnamani, the National Commissioner representing the South East in the Police Service Commission, urged the Federal Government to implement modern security strategies in the region, akin to the statewide CCTV system and patrol cars with surveillance cameras in Enugu State.
Nnamani asked the federal government to de-emphasise the deployment of checkpoints and roadblocks in the region, saying “it is inefficient and exposes our security personnel to attacks by non-state actors.”
Turning to the dignitaries present at the meeting, President Tinubu praised former Senate President Ken Nnamani for saving Nigeria’s democracy from those who wanted to derail it with the Third Term project.
President Tinubu, who had earlier inaugurated several projects executed by the state government, praised his chief host Governor Peter Mbah for his development model and philosophy.
He pledged that the federal government would continue to support Enugu and other states in their development efforts.
Among the projects inaugurated by the President were the GTC Smart Green School, New Haven/Bisalla Road, the International Conference Centre, the Command-and-Control Centre, and 150 patrol vehicles equipped with surveillance cameras.
The President also performed the virtual commissioning of other notable projects from the Enugu State Government House.
At the inauguration of the Command-and-Control Centre, the President said investment in security would bring rapid development.
“This is a profound demonstration of what we can do together. It reassures me that more revenue going to the sub-nationals and local government is not a waste. It is for development.
“We have committed leaders like Peter Mbah taking Enugu on the path of 21st-Century development, taking Enugu to greater heights, and building our tomorrow today.
“I cannot forget the sight of those children I just met at the Smart Green School.
“I have seen the gadgets and vehicles with 21st-Century technology. Yes, you are indeed working for today, tomorrow and the future.
“My good friend Peter, we can go places together to build Nigeria and build the future.
“It is audacious to have this home filled with technology, and they are ready for use.
“To promote investment, I know you are a private sector person, and we must encourage more private sector people to come into politics.
“When you are sure of security and development and give value for money, investors will be your friend,” he said.
President Tinubu further lauded the governor, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for demonstrating an irrevocable commitment to human development.
“I don’t care which party you come from; you are my friend.
“Alex Otti of Abia State is also doing very well. It is not about the differences in languages and place of birth.
“No one of us has control of the mother tongue. God created us, and you can find yourself in Enugu, Onitsha or Lagos. We are all members of one huge family called Nigeria, but we live in different rooms in the same house.
“We must build this house to satisfy our immediate and future needs,” he said.
At the interactive session, Governor Mbah described President Tinubu as a true federalist.
He commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the South East Development Commission and liberalising the electricity sector through the Electricity Act (Amendment).
He congratulated the President on being named ThisDay Man of the Year and acknowledged his efforts to revitalise Nigeria’s growth and economic resilience.
“Your Excellency, your credential as a true federalist stands out brightly, and the legacies thereof will long earn you resounding accolades.
“In signing the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, you liberalised electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. That singular act will consistently rank as an enduring legacy.
“It is noteworthy that Enugu State was the first sub-national to which the NERC ceded regulatory oversight of the local electricity market. That reflects how swiftly we are pursuing our goals,” he said.
According to the governor, the South East Development Commission will address infrastructure and ecological challenges in the region while complementing the many development strides unfolding across the state.
Governor Mbah reiterated his vision to grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within four years, aiming to position the state among Nigeria’s top three states in terms of GDP.
He said this grand dream can be achieved when security is guaranteed, quality education thrives, and citizens can access affordable healthcare.
The governor outlined the bold steps taken to enhance public safety in the state, including ending the illegal sit-at-home order imposed across the Southeast by a criminal gang and non-state actors.
”We no longer observe sit-at-home in Enugu. Our people go to work every day of the week, and we no longer take orders from non-state actors,” he said.
The governor told the President that some of the Smart Green Schools commissioned during the state visit were part of the modern schools introduced by his administration across 260 wards to equip students with 21st-Century skills.
Tinubu’s visit shows Fed Govt’s attention to S’East development – Soludo
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who was in Enugu to join in receiving the President, said the visit was a demonstration of the Federal Government’s attention to South-East development.
Soludo, in a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime in Awka, said the gesture “underscores his (Tinubu’s) commitment to fostering productive federal-state relations while advancing the interests of the Southeast region.
“The visit to the Southeast also demonstrates the federal government’s attention to the South East region’s development,” he said.
