Nigeria Is Broke, Hence Fuel Price Hike - Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the Federal Government has to take painful decisions and make tough adjustments because Nigeria is broke.

He said this while briefing journalists after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting that the decision to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit from N86 to N145 per litre was one of those decisions.

Lai Mohammed likened Nigeria’s situation to a case of a person, who got a pay cut and had to adjust to the current reality in terms of his spending. “The current problem is not really about subsidy removal. It is about (the fact) that Nigeria is broke. Pure and simple!

#OccupyNigeria - We have to tell the Daura old solder - Nigerians

Nigerians have been reacting to the FG removal of the fuel subsidiy as the Minister of state for petrolium resources Ibe Kachikwu announced today that a litre of petrol will now sell for #145. Nigerians said it's highly insensitive and clueless on the part of the government in this time of economic crisis!
 A Nigerian wrote: I am not very happy tonight and how I wish it wasn't true. I have lot of confidence in this government but am afraid tonight decision to increase pump price is very unacceptable, ill-timed and can only make worse the plights of already impoverished Nigerians, my humble self inclusive.

Another Nigerian Reacted as thus: Does this Buhari government really knows what it is doing? I doubt so. Well my " Occupy Nigeria " canvass is still there, it is indeed another period to go to the barricade. Yes, we have to protest to show Buhari that even if we support all his anti corruption fights, we dislike this increment. We have to tell the Daura old solder that even if we applaud his efforts at stamping out terrorism by annihilation of Boko Haram and decapitation of Ak47 brandishing herders, Nigerians are not in love with 145 naira per litter.

We are doing our best, we are seeing rays of hope – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan said in Abuja on Sunday that the Federal Government had no plans to increase pump price petroleum for now.

Jonathan, who gave this assurance at a Presidential Media Chat, noted that such action could not be taken without following due process and the consent of Nigerians.

“I have no plans now to change petroleum pump price, but if I have to do it, I will do it following due process’’, the President said.

He denied insinuations that his administration was not decisive enough to fight corruption in the country.

According to him, the federal government is doing everything possible to investigate and bring to book every corrupt public officer.