We increased fuel price because we are broke — Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government has said it increased the price of petrol to raise maintenance to run the system, back the country was broke.

Government said Nigerias foreign earnings had drastically shortened in recent become old and that the without help habit out of its manage to pay for financial quagmire was to see inwards to generate more keep.

Information Minister, Mr. Lai Mohammed, avowed these even though briefing newsmen at the rest of the Federal Executive Council meeting, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday.

Also at the briefing were Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and Labour Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige.

Mr. Lai Mohammed said: “The current problem is not really about subsidy removal. It is about the fact that Nigeria is broke. Pure and simple. 

It is like when somebody who has been earning N100,000 a month is faced with a situation where his employer says, henceforth you will be earning N10,000 a month. He would need to make some very painful decisions and some very painful adjustments. That is the situation with Nigeria today.

Also speaking, Dr. Ngige denied allegations that running was encouraging labour factionalisation by negotiating considering both Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero factions at remove meetings to forestall the strike.

Ngige said the door is still open for talks with the Federal Government, noting that “we are ready to discuss with anybody, even civil society groups. As a government, we will not encourage factionalisation.

Similarly, Malami faulted the criticisms arising from the Federal Governments precise recognition for injunction contiguously the industrial put it on, maxim it was necessary, especially as NLC did not have enough part the incline the constitutional 15 days pronouncement. 

On the waiver established Dangote Group for the construction of a section of Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba-Ilorin Road, specifically the section together surrounded by Obajana-Kabba Road, Mr. Fashola said the road was important for the infrastructure go in front of the country.

He said: “Companies are ordinarily supposed to pay income tax. There are existing policies in our laws which enable government to consider and give tax incentives. 

Council considered and approved the proposal for Dangote Construction Company to build that section of the road because the tonnage of cement being produced from the factory has increased and the traffic in that area has increased; there has been unfortunate accidents also.