N500bn to cushion subsidy removal good, but Tinubu should provide more – Shina Peller

• Shina Peller says President Tinubu’s provisions to cushion the impact of the removal of petrol subsidies are “better than nothing”
• Peller says the federal government should diversify the economy by investing in the country’s creative industry
• Peller was honoured by the National Youth Council of Nigeria for his contributions to the development of young people

Former House of Representatives member Shina Peller says President Bola Tinubu’s provisions to cushion the impact of the removal of petrol subsidies are “better than nothing.”

Peller spoke in Abuja on Friday after being named ‘Grand Commander of the Nigerian Youth (GCNY)’ by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Nigerian Youths in Politics (NYP), and Arewa Concerned Youth Forum (ACYF), among others.

President Tinubu had requested that the National Assembly approve a $800 million loan to help the people.

Tinubu stated that 12 million households would receive N8,000 per month from the World Bank loan.

In an amendment to the 2022 supplementary budget, the national assembly appropriated another N500 billion.

Apart from the aforementioned provisions, the former lawmaker stated that the Tinubu administration should provide additional relief packages to alleviate Nigerians’ economic hardship.

I think the palliative of N500 billion is still better than nothing but I believe that as time goes on, we should be able to get more from the president, he said.

The pressure that the people are mounting on the president must have pushed him to make that decision for palliatives for the people.

Peller said the federal government should diversify the economy by investing in the country’s creative industry, which will provide jobs for the youths.

Every country that has done so well has invested in their youth. I will advise the present administration to look into the direction of youths by strengthening the creative industry, he said.

Strengthening the creative industry means that there will be so much employment for the unemployed youth and the country will have an alternative way of generating revenue.

Earlier, Solomon Adodo, president of NYC, stated that they were honouring Peller for his contributions to the development of young people.