Idris to Nigerians: FG exploring ways to mitigate impacts of present hardship 

Minister of Information, Alhaji Muhammed Idris, Thursday, expressed the commitment of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government to make life bearable for Nigerians.

The minister gave the assurance in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital at a town hall meeting on federal government’s intervention programmes following the oil subsidy removal effect at both state and local government levels.

The minister who was represented by the head, Federal Information and Resource Centre in Ekiti state, Mrs. Omotola Yemisi, said the present administration does not handle issues affecting the welfare and well-being of the citizens with levity, adding that whatever hardship they may be going through now is as a result of some of its policies that would only exist for awhile.

The minister said government recognises the importance of meaningful engagement in governance, hence the reason for organising the town hall meeting with the Nigerian people, so as to provide platforms for constructive dialogue.

He stated that such engagement would also ensure that the benefits of government’s interventions can reach all Nigerians.

“We recognise that the removal of fuel subsidy presents both challenges and opportunities.

“We shall explore ways to mitigate the impact of this policy change on our citizens and also ensure that the benefits of such decisions are equitably distributed.

“Be assured that our goal is to create an enabling environment that supports economic growth and development, by tapping into all a available social schemes,” he said.

The director-general, Ekiti Bureau of Civic Orientation, Mrs Famuyiwa Olawumi, urged Nigerians to give government the time to allow some of its policies to see the light of the day, by being cooperative and law-abiding.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Commissioner for Information, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, represented by Dr. Yusuf Habibat, lauded the federal government over some of its areas of intervention in the state so far.

The commissioner however assured of the state’s continued partnership with the Tinubu administration, so that its good intentions and plans for Nigeria could materialise.