TheCable

Rinsola Abiola, senior special assistant to President Bola Tinubu on citizenship and leadership, says her principal needs all the support he can get from Nigerians. 

Speaking on Tuesday at a town hall organised by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy, and Development (SCDDD) in Abuja, Abiola said Tinubu’s administration is committed to economic growth and social welfare.

Abiola who spoke on the theme: ‘Improving the State of the Nation in the face of Economic Hardship Versus the Call for Patriotic Citizenship’, said some economic policies of the government would have long term benefits. 

“There is no denying the fact that our nation presently finds itself navigating through stormy economic waters shaped by a confluence of both local and global events,” she said.

“We recently had to confront the monster that is the oil subsidy which had grown in size and influence for decades and threatened the development of our nation.

“We stood the risk of becoming a nation that exists merely to pay oil subsidies without funds to do anything else, including infrastructure development, make needed investments in healthcare or even pay the basic salaries of our civil service.

“It was thus important to ensure that Nigeria’s resources truly work for the Nigerian people. Returning the monster to the bottle has come with initial difficulties, including a higher cost of living.

“Similarly, currency reforms, while indispensable for ensuring sustainable growth and improving investor confidence, have not been without their share of complexities.”

Abiola said the government is interested in the welfare of Nigerians which is why it rolled out several social investment programmes for vulnerable citizens.

“Our relatively young administration has demonstrated a commitment to alleviating the burdens on our citizens,” she added.

“Initiatives under the presidential palliative program such as the conditional grant scheme which aims to provide targeted financial support to one million nano-businesses across all 774 local government areas, stand as a testament to our dedication to social welfare.”

The presidential aide urged Nigerians not to partake in activities capable of jeopardising the collective growth of the nation.

“It is also important to note that the necessary reforms, carried out to tackle complex economic challenges that have their roots in decisions made many years ago, do not just come with pain,” she said.

“The progress notwithstanding, we must not lose sight of the proven fact that surmounting economic challenges requires more than policy reforms alone.

“The success of our administration is intricately tied to the patriotic support of our citizens.

“In times of transformation and structural adjustments, there is often a tendency for citizens to resist or pressure the government into reversing beneficial policies due to the initial discomfort they may cause.

“Pipeline vandalisation, for example, remains a significant challenge that hampers our ability to fully reap the profits from the oil sector.

“The issue of counterfeit and adulterated goods has also been in the news lately.

“While those who produce these harmful products might make a quick profit from doing so, they jeopardise the health and well-being of millions of other citizens, and the business interests of legitimate businessmen and women by reducing consumer confidence in their products.”