Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy and unify the foreign exchange windows has saved many states of the federation from bankruptcy.
He stated this when he hosted the management team of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), North Central Zone, led by the Zonal Director, Barr. Babayo Askira, at the Government House in Lafia at the weekend.
The Nasarawa State governor said the tough economic decisions taken by the President on his first day in office were necessary to burst the bubble the country was living in and return the nation to the path of reality.
“Every time I speak about how Nasarawa State is able to breathe, I must show great appreciation to the man who took the bullet on our behalf, and that is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. He took two very difficult decisions at the same time, the unification of the foreign exchange rate and the removal of fuel subsidy. These are decisions very few leaders in the world would agree to take,” Sule said.
Sule said that such politically risky moves are usually avoided by first-term leaders who wait until a second term to implement them, but President Tinubu took the uncommon courage to do so.
He described the President as a different breed of leader for taking the decisions on his first day in office, saying these hard decisions have paid off today.
“We must commend him. It is not a popular statement, especially with the opposition and those speaking big grammar. They will tell you that Tinubu is bad and that there is too much pain. But the truth is, we were not living in reality; we were living a fake life. We were living on a bubble that was going to burst. He has taken us to where we truly belong,” Sule said.
The governor reasoned that while the policies brought temporary hardship, the results are beginning to yield positive outcomes, noting that these policies have helped many states avoid bankruptcy. With the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange windows, states with foreign exchange-linked borrowings are now able to breathe because of the improved revenue accruing to them following the President’s decisions.
“A lot of people won’t believe that just a little over a year ago, our inflation rate was over 30 percent. Today, inflation is less than 15 percent. It is not magic. It’s hard work and a lot of effort,” Sule added.
Sule disclosed that he deliberately refused to collect loans from banks during his first tenure due to the uncertainties associated with foreign exchange risks.
He revealed that many of his colleagues who borrowed at the time when the exchange rate was about N350 to the dollar are now struggling to repay at over N1,000 to the dollar.
“Coming from the private sector, you have to be very careful about borrowings. I was scared of borrowing because most of them were tied to foreign exchange. Luckily for us, Nasarawa State did not borrow anything then. That is why we can breathe properly today, and we also have the improved revenue coming to states to thank for saving many others from bankruptcy,” he added.
Welcoming the Zonal Director back to Nasarawa State and appreciating him for ensuring that the FRCN zonal office remains in the state, the governor lamented the constant struggle to retain federal establishments in Nasarawa, noting that the state often loses out because it lacks enough people to fight for its interests at the centre.
He praised the FRCN for its role in maintaining peace and unity in the state, acknowledging that the people of Nasarawa, traditional rulers, security agencies, and media organisations have all contributed to the prevailing peace.
Earlier, the FRCN North Central Zonal Director, Barr. Babayo Askira, who is not new to the state, having served as General Manager of Precious FM Lafia between 2008 and 2010, said the visit was to familiarise himself with the government and appreciate the governor’s support for the corporation.
Barrister Askira expressed amazement at the level of transformation witnessed across the state, saying he could barely recognise some places due to the massive infrastructural development from Karu to Keffi and up to Akwanga.
He specifically praised the Mararaba flyover and lauded the Governor’s maintenance of peace and security, describing him as a leader par excellence.
The Zonal Director announced the introduction of an English version of the Hausa programme ‘Nasarawa Ayau’ on Precious FM, stating that the initiative aims to carry non-Hausa-speaking communities along by showcasing the development strides of the government.
He assured that the FRCN would intensify efforts in educating the public on government policies, good governance, and civic responsibility, while maintaining professionalism and objectivity.
