Tinubu’s reforms‘ll hasten Nigeria’s growth, says Adegoroye

Prince Ademola Adegoroye, former Minister of State for Transport and one-time member of the House of Assembly in Ondo State, spoke on the benefits of the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration, the recent Ondo governorship poll and other issues. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports

How do you see the effect of President Bola Tinubu’s policies on Nigeria?

All his reforms are in the best interest of Nigerians. I am aware that the sudden removal of fuel subsidy immediately after Mr. President assumed office led to a downturn in the purchasing capacity of the many Nigerians to feed their families. But in all, I think we will get there.

All these reforms that are going on now, have brought us to our knees, but like you know, every country that is great today has gone through a period of serious challenges. That is the period we are in now, and we just hope that it won’t happen again. Once we get through this, God continues to give us great leaders who mean when for Nigeria, who are on top of the situation, who know what is going on the world over, who can take decisions in the interest of this country, like Asiwaju Tinubu.

President Tinubu can never be happy that Nigerians are suffering; he can never be happy that we are running a country where people cannot feed. He is not that kind of leader. He is a leader who lives and wants others to live. This development gives him a lot of pain, and he should not be seen as a wicked leader, rather a strong one who takes tough decisions. Whether we like it or not, a decision will be made so that we can get out of this trouble and Nigeria can enter into a phase, a phase of economic progression, infrastructural development, where our economy can be strong and more productive.

The Tax Reform Bills before the National Assembly are generating a lot of concern. What is your view about it?

Yes, the bills are: the Nigeria Tax Bill; the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill; the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill; and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill. I am aware of the criticism against them, especially from the North and the governors, especially on the issue of timing, but I can tell you that the bills are in the interest of the entire nation, because they are designed to radically transform Nigeria and ensure the majority of Nigerians, especially the rich pay tax.

Contrary to some claims, the tax reform bills favour the low-income earners and businesses, because I am aware that those earning less than N1 million will be exempted. Furthermore, they will galvanise every section of the country to productivity. It is not palatable to see that some sections of the country are developing at a slow pace despite their potential in agriculture, tourism and what have you.

Tax experts were at the National Assembly the other day and they provided explanations on the bills. Though they have been suspended, I think they should be examined thoroughly, because I believe it is in the overall development of Nigeria.

Those high net-worth Nigerians who are evading tax should pay their tax, in fact, all over the world, the rich pay more tax and tax is the government’s major source of revenue. It is a way of life in developed countries. If you don’t pay that, there is something wrong with you. Indeed, people get arrested for tax evasion.

As a former Minister of State for Transport, what impact do you think the federal Government’s Coastal Road Project is going to have on the people and business down South?

The 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road will definitely impact positively. It is going to connect about seven states and it will transform lives and livelihood in such areas. It is important though that all affected interests should be taken care off. I must also add that development should be holistic. All existing roads in the country should be fixed, because we have a lot of our roads that are not in tip-top condition.

In many parts of the country, Nigerians find it hazardous to travel from one place to another today. This has affected movement of farm produce and other businesses. So, I believe that the idea of coastal roads is to engender development, make it easier for people to travel. In the long run, it will be to the advantage of the states – Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa, Cross River- in the coastal areas and businesses will boom.

How do you see the outcome of the Ondo State governorship elections?

The outcome of the election is a true reflection, no doubt, of the wish of the state. You know, Ondo State has been governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2017 when our late leader was inaugurated in February 2017. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu did his best to ensure that Ondo State received dividends of democracy.

He worked hard to strengthen institutions and restore the glory of Ondo State in the area education. For example, primary schools received facelifts; teachers were empowered, and more teachers were employed to ensure qualified personnel were teaching in schools. The university at Okitipupa, which was nearly abandoned, received significant attention from that government.

Similarly, the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), in Ondo town established under Governor Olusegun Mimiko, and other institutions like OSUSTECH received the attention they deserved. Our own Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko received the desired attention. Health-wise, substantial resources were allocated to enhance healthcare facilities such as the UNIMED, state hospitals, and basic health centers.

Infrastructure also improved significantly. Roads in the state received attention, particularly in the state capital, Akure, which has become the second-fastest-growing capital city in Nigeria. While his efforts were commendable, more work is required to meet Akure’s rapid development needs. The election results demonstrate that the people trust APC’s governance. While I did not say the government is perfect, the administration has made strides despite economic challenges.

What is your view about the voting pattern?Related News

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, our candidate was able to win in all the local governments including the local governments of our opponents by a very wide margin. I was the Chairman of the State Contact and Mobilisation Committee of the Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation during the election. The other members were Prince Sola Amodeni, former State Commissioner; Hon Ade Adeogun MHR, Hon Otito Atikase, Ondo State Commissioner on the board of NDDC and Hon Dare Emiola, former Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly of Chairman of the Ondo State House of Assembly Service Commission. We worked tirelessly for the election. The same thing is applicable to all other committees. Hence, we got a good result. The voting showed that the people of the state want the APC to continue in office beyond next year.

What is your assessment of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s performance in the past 10 months?

 Governor Aiyedatiwa came into office suddenly in December last year following the unfortunate demise of Governor Akeredolu in late 2023. Nobody wanted Akeredolu to die. The government was slowed down due to the late governor’s illness, and consequent political tensions further complicated matters, including impeachment threats against Aiyedatiwa who was the Deputy Governor. It took time for Aiyedatiwa to stabilise the administration and prioritise focus areas.

Now, with his mandate confirmed, I believe we will see better performance and resolution of issues, completion of abandoned contracts and renegotiation of terms due to inflation. Those contractors that have abandoned sites will have to come back and issues affecting the state will be prioritised.

On his part, he has also made a good impression of himself having commenced the disbursement of N3.2 billion to settle outstanding gratuities owed to pensioners; awarded N3.4 billion road projects under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAMP) in a bold move to checkmate rural-urban drift and enable local farmers to transport their farm produce with ease.

He has also disbursed over N2 billion as grant-in-aid to support vulnerable Ondo State residents and empowered them to ply their respective trades, paid more than N700 million as 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees for eligible public secondary school candidates; commenced the on-going construction of 250-bed hospitals in Akure and Ondo, instituted the Abiyamo Maternal and Child Health Insurance Scheme (AMCHIS) under which over 4,265 babies, among which are 380 twins, 10 triplets and two quadruplets all delivered under the state equity scheme and approval of N73,000 minimum wage higher than the benchmark set by the federal government.

What is he doing about reconciliation in the party and the state?

Reconciliation is essential. Governor Aiyedatiwa, being a practising Christian, understands the importance of forgiveness and unity. During the campaigns, many political allies, even those who were initially at odds with him came together for the state’s progress. You must have seen a lot of them at our campaign rallies and they worked for him during the elections. I believe he will continue to foster unity and prioritise the good of the state above individual or political interests.

There were allegations of vote buying during the election. How would you address this?

Allegations of vote buying are not new and are not limited to a single party. However, I can assure you that I was not involved in or present at any meeting where such practices were discussed. Vote buying undermines democracy and sets the country back. It is an issue we must address collectively.

How do you see the support given by APC governors to the party in the state?

It is common practice for governors to support their parties during elections. For instance, during Governor Akeredolu’s elections in 2017 and 2020, APC governors provided similar support. Likewise, PDP governors do the same in their states. Such collaboration strengthens party efforts and ensured organised campaigns. Governors like Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dapo Abiodun, Hope Uzodimma, and others actively supported the APC candidate in Ondo. You will recall that Governor Aiyedatiwa was the chairman of the Edo State governorship election. Similarly, PDP governors like Seyi Makinde and Ademola Adeleke supported their party’s candidate. This is a standard practice in Nigeria’s political landscape.

After three years, what is your view about the commencement of operation at a section of one of the refineries in Port Harcourt?

It’s splendid news, great news, and very heartwarming. We have been expecting this for a very long time. Now that that is working, we hope that the entire refinery will start to work again, and the other ones in Port Harcourt and Warri will commence operation.

You know that the refining of our crude oil outside the country and turning it into the various forms of fuel we need has turned the country into a lot of crises. Talk about fuel importation and its impact on foreign exchange and the lives of  the average Nigerians, making it very difficult.

Fuel importation has led to fuel price hike and spiked cost of living. Things have become so expensive. But when I heard the news the other day, I was very excited, and hope and pray that it will translate into a reduction in the price of petroleum products, particularly, petrol for Nigerians.

I want to say kudos to Mr. President for this. I know it did not start from his tenure, but it came to reality during his tenure, because he was determined to get it done. I also want to congratulate the management of the NNPCL, particularly, the GMD/CEO, who I realise is an extremely hardworking man, who means well for Nigeria. Each time I hear people calling for his removal, I often wonder because you don’t remove people from office just for the sake of removal. You must have a reason for that. I know him and an executive Vice President like that who are working tirelessly to lift the industry.

The issues are fundamental. The refineries have not been working for many years, and it is not the fault of the GMG. In fact, I was listening to a programme the other day when the founder of Sahara Energy said he prayed that the refineries will not collapse again. This is because it needs a lot of spare parts to keep it running and the absence of that can lead to a halt, and I am aware that the NNPCL is working on that. All hands must be on deck to ensure the price of fuel comes down.