Federal Government has offered assurances that the ongoing hardships resulting from the removal of petrol subsidies will soon be alleviated.
The Government has taken immediate steps, including providing N5 billion in financial aid and dispatching food supplies to each state, as part of its efforts to mitigate the impact of these reforms.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Nebeolisa Anako, conveyed this commitment during the 22nd Joint Planning Board (JPB) and National Council on Development Planning (NCDP) meeting held in Osogbo, Osun State.
Anako emphasized that as additional medium-term measures are unveiled, Nigerians will come to understand the reasoning behind these decisions. The primary focus of the joint meeting was to chart a path for sustainable economic growth and development in the country.
He urged federal, state, and local governments to collaborate closely to implement the meeting’s decisions effectively, with the aim of advancing national development objectives.
Anako also encouraged state representatives to advocate for the development of the agricultural value-chain and the transformation of food systems to address issues like unemployment and stunted growth, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Addressing the challenges posed by economic reforms, which included fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira, Anako assured the public that these difficulties were temporary and would be overcome with time. He urged those in influential positions to actively educate the Nigerian public about the long-term benefits of these policies.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, represented by his deputy, Kola Adewusi, expressed optimism that the meeting’s outcomes would ultimately restore Nigeria’s economic fortune through effective policy implementation.
In a statement, the Director of Information, Budget, and Economic Planning, Mrs. Sade Boriowo, conveyed the governor’s call for participants to devise immediate measures to address the challenges arising from the economic reforms, particularly the removal of subsidies and the floating of the naira.
