…praises Oyebanji’s complementary roles
A ranking member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Bamisile, has
said that President Tinubu should be commended for taking hard decisions in the last two years .
The All Progressives Congress chieftain, said the removal of fuel subsidy and the initiated Tax Reform policy of Tinubu’s administration, are gradually weaning the country off the perennial sole dependence on oil funds to power the economy.
The representative of the Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, spoke while appearing on “Gudugbe Oro”, a programme aired by a private Radio Station: Cruze 92.7 FM, commemorating the two year of Tinubu’s government, where he predicted boom for Nigeria with the ongoing economic renaissance.
The federal lawmaker predicted that the third year of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency will yield more bountiful dividends for Nigerians with the solid foundation being erected for economic growth.
At the Ekiti home front , the former speaker saluted Governor Biodun Oyebanji for justifying increased federal allocations to the state through a spike in the level of delivery in the areas of road infrastructure, security, welfare of workers, youth empowerment, agriculture, sports and tourism development.
Bamisile, in a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, consented to the widespread impression that there is hard biting inflation and hunger in the system, but commended the President for taking hard policies that could reform the economy for better delivery.
He debunked the the widespread insinuation that the National Assembly and the governor’s were the major beneficiaries of subsidy removal, saying such only exists in the minds of critics, who see nothing good in the leaderships of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas.
The former Speaker said it could have been herculean for state workers to savour increased minimum wage, if not for the spike in allocations to states occasioned by subsidy removal, saying this has also reduced the level of debts being incurred at the subnational level.
Bamisile praised the APC led federal government for defraying the inherited $7 billion forex backlog and for defraying the country’s indebtedness with the International Monetary Fund, stating that these will lessen the burdens and lubricate the frictions being encountered in the steering of the economy.
“Nobody is saying that all is well under this government, but President Tinubu should be commended for taking hard decisions that can address our situations. The removal of fuel subsidy and Tax Reform Law are some of these initiatives that are redefining our economy .
“Today, Nigeria is getting more monies from the non-oil sector. The taxation system is becoming better, the rich can no longer cheat the system. They are paying more to cater for the poor masses.
“Let me say this and say it expressly without any fear, some states could have gone bankrupt, but for subsidy removal. It was hard in the beginning, but we have started seeing the gains. Nothing good can be achieved without sacrifices.
“In December 2024, we bought a bag of foreign rice for N110,000, but today, it has gone down to about N68,000, while the ones produced locally cost cheaper. We are gradually getting there.
” Nigerians have been patient, let them continue to stand with President Tinubu. We will all laugh in the end”.
In the area of security, Bamisile said the federal government has succeeded in restoring normalcy to some beleaguered Northern states, which accounted for why the farmers are now returning to production to ease food inflation.
“Our farmers are now returning to farms in the Northern part of our country. We thank God that our own son in Ekiti, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede is the Chief of Army Staff. This is not to say that security has been fully restored, but we can se gradual reduction in the prices of food commodities and their availability in the market”, Bamisile said.
Bamisile praised Governor Oyebanji for being prudent and accountable in the appropriation of the federal allocations accruing to the state.
The lawmaker noted that this obviously reflected in the swift implementation of N70,000 minimum wage, payment of gratuity to retirees, good road network, massive youth empowerment and recruitment of over 6,000 workers into the civil service.
“I know that Nigerians are not happy with the poor performances of some governors despite the 300% increase in the allocations. But I can speak for Governor Oyebanji. He has done well for our people. Let us support him to be able to do more. He is a God fearing and humble leader”.