The governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, expressed his concern about the growing poverty in Nigeria after President Bola Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy in May 2023.
Governor Makinde made these remarks during the 2024 Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, which took place at the House of Assembly Complex in Ibadan. He stated that the decision to remove the fuel subsidy was made at an inappropriate time.
“N1,000 has now become a big deal to a common Nigerian because they won’t be able to get more than a loaf of bread with it,” Makinde said.
“Government exists to bring peace and convenience to citizens who have trooped out during the election period to perform their civic rights. While we are looking after ourselves to give us what we can live on, we also have to look at the development of the state.”
Speaking at the ceremony, the governor urged government personnel to be more productive.
“Truth is, we have challenges ahead of us and we have to find means to make sure we keep attending to the welfare of the civil and public servants in Oyo State.
“We also need to attend to those projects and those things that will make life more meaningful for our people, which will unleash creativity in them so that we can have a prosperous state. It cannot be a one-sided thing. So, we have to engage, align, and move forward.”
“The Labour leaders should not see the challenges as ‘us versus them’. It is ‘us versus us’ to find a workable solution because we are in a very challenging period. I promise you complete openness so that we can take a decision that will serve the best interest of all of us”, he added.
