Abuja, Jan. 31, 2024: The Independent Media and Policy Initiative(IMPI), a pressure group, says President Bola Tinubu is building a new model for economic growth and socio-political development.
Chief Niyi Akinsiju, the Chairman, IMPI, said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja while appraising Tinubu’s performance since he assumed office on May 29.
Akinsiju said that as a body of policy analysts, the group had painstakingly studied and analysed the situations in the country over the last eight months and concluded that Tinubu had performed creditably.
He said this was considering the fact that he came into office in the midst of the lingering effects of Post COVID-19 challenges and a global economic downturn exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
He added that since assumption of office, Tinubu had deployed proactive and courageous policies and measures, including the removal of fuel subsidy to confront the major socio-political, security and economic issues affecting the country.
“While, taking cognisance of the associated economic challenges that households are grappling with, it is our considered opinion that the decision by the president to announce the removal of fuel subsidy is not only courageous but commendable.
“More importantly, it was a measure to eliminate the long standing subsidy related corruption perpetrated by the cartel of the subsidy regime.
“From a policy impact point of view, the measure triggered the immediate positive outturn on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) consumption and related revenue earnings compared to the pre-subsidy removal regime,” he said.
Akinsiju also said that the policies introduced by the administration to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy withdrawal were reflective of compassion, insightfulness and vision of the president.
He said that one of the measures taken to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians was wage awards to workers, adding that the government also committed to ameliorating the cost of transportation during season’s peak periods.
“A more profound measure in this regard is the activation of the long dormant National Gas Master Plan which effectively provides momentum for the commercial use of natural and liquefied gas.
“From our review of Tinubu’s policies in the last eight months, we can objectively submit that the administration has performed creditably,” he said.
He added that the administration had also put in place measures to address issues of insecurity in the country as well as policies to boost agriculture and employment creation.
This, he said, was in spite of the enormous institutional, economic headwinds and domestic challenges it had to contend with.
“From the conceptualisation and deployment of policies across multifarious sectors by the Federal Government, we are convinced that President Tinubu is putting in place new building blocks to serve as the bedrock of a new model for national economic growth and socio-political development,” he said.
Akinsiju appealed to Tinubu to make public the outcomes of investigation of alleged corruption against some of his appointees in the spirit of transparency.
“However, we take notice of the President’s swift response to corruption allegations against a member of his cabinet, Dr Betta Edu, by suspending and ordering her investigation.
“Without prejudice to the outcome of the ongoing investigation, we urge the president to not bow to pressure, but ensure that the report of that investigation and those of other government officials under investigation be made public in the spirit of transparency,” he said.
He added that this would go a long way to sending clear signals to local and international audiences about the Tinubu administration’s seriousness to tackle the scourge of corruption.
