By Williams Anuku, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has used his Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary address to tackle past leaders from 1999-2015 who he said destroyed the country and yet have the impudence to criticize his administration.
The period covers the administrations of Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.
Explaining why petrol price pump has to be increased due to fall in revenue, the president said in the nationwide radio/television broadcast on Thursday morning that no government has done as much as his to manage scarce resources despite huge spending on security.
He cited that costs of petrol in some other oil-producing countries, saying that the previous cost in Nigeria is no longer sustainable.
The president stressed the need for tough decisions as the country must face realities.
He said: “No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security. Those in the previous Governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticize our efforts.
“In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.
“Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. We sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point;
“Chad which is an oil producing country charges N362 per litre
“Niger, also an oil producing country sells 1 litre at N346.
“In Ghana, another oil producing country, petroleum pump price is N326 per litre.
“Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre. It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia”.
