The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the North West Zone, Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, has emphasized that the impact of the fuel subsidy removal is gradually manifesting positively for Nigerians.
Yakasai made this statement during the flag-off of rice palliative distribution to residents of Nassarawa Local Government Area in Kano State.
“The hardship, yes, is caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira, but these are programs that Mr President took a bold step because since the inception of this democracy from 1999 to date, we have been giving out this subsidy and it’s only going to the few,” Yakasai said.
He continued, “So Mr President took this bold step because we need to save more funds as we are doing now so that we can do other things, other developmental projects like infrastructure, like in agriculture, health and other critical sectors of the society.
“So we were so surprised that within all these years, none of this refinery has come on board. But within this administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we’ve seen Port Harcourt Refinery come on board.”
Yakasai further stated, “For years our refineries were down and they have started working today which means they refused to repair the refineries. How much is the price for petrol now? It is dropping down by the day.”
“This is a remarkable feat and it’s making its production at 60 percent capacity. Just two weeks ago, the GMD of NNPC, Mele Kyari, also came out to say that the Warri Refinery is running and he has taken media houses, he has taken you people there, he has taken well-meaning Nigerians there to go and verify.
“So these are all things to tell you that His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is so determined to make sure he turns around the fortune of this country,” Yakasai added.
On the ongoing rice distribution, Yakasai highlighted the government’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities. “The government is ever determined to support those at the lower cadre of the society, the vulnerable, hence the distribution of rice to people at the grassroots, especially party members and women.”
He also explained the scope of the initiative, saying, “This is just a local government and as we have 44 local governments in Kano, this is just the flag of we’ll go around all the 44 local governments and distribute this rice so that people will have it as palliative. We’re not saying it will go around everyone, but the little that we can do, we’ll do to alleviate the suffering of the people.”
Yakasai concluded by revealing the scale of the distribution: “We are giving 200 bags of rice for each local government, that is for the 44 local governments, we intend to give 4,400 bags of rice.”
