The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has posited that no serious government will want the citizens to suffer. 

He further urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, Tinubu’s economic reforms might be tough and painful but would benefit the country at the long run.

While speaking at a press briefing on Friday, he asserted that Tinubu’s decisions are necessary foundations for the economic growth and prosperity that Nigerians deserves.

Idris said the removal of petrol subsidies, envisaged by the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021, was freeing up significant resources for Federal and State Governments to invest in infrastructure and welfare programmes for the benefit of citizens.

The Minister said the President made it clear that he was for all Nigerians regardless of regional, ethnic, partisan, or religious affiliations. 

Idris noted that the ongoing liberalisation of the foreign exchange regime was designed to close loopholes and gaps that have been exploited in very unscrupulous ways over the years, leading to the loss of billions of dollars in our scarce, hard-earned resources.

“No serious government seeks to inflict burdens on its people. We are very clear in explaining that these pains being felt are a short-term sacrifice to make for the kind of country that we want and that we deserve,” he said.