Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Public Affairs, Aliyu Audu has said that the President did not speak on Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) because of his commitment to the deregulation of the oil and gas sector.
Audu disclosed this during a Channels Television interview monitored by DAILY POST on Wednesday.
According to him, Tinubu has remained resolute in providing viable alternatives to petrol, such as Compressed Natural Gas.
He stressed that despite the Naira-for-crude sale deal with Dangote Refinery, the price of petrol will not come down a whole lot.
“It shows commitment on the part of Mr President Tinubu in terms of deregulating the Petroleum sector.
“He did mention alternatives that could give succor to our economy, especially when it comes to the cost of living, food and the Compressed Natural Gas Initiative.
“It doesn’t look like even with the Naira-for-crude scheme the price of Petrol will come down a whole lot.
“Even though that is what Nigerians want to hear, the reality is that we have to seek opportunities to power our vehicles. That is why the government is keen on the CNG initiative,” he said.
Recall that Tinubu addressed Nigerians on the occasion of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary.
Tinubu begged Nigerians to be patient while measures are being in place to address the country’s economic hardship.
His remarks come as Nigerians grapple with economic hardship.
Currently, Nigerians buy petrol between N950 and N1,300 depending on the location across the country.
The prices of goods and services have also hit the rooftop, with headline and food inflation standing at 32.15 and 37.52 percent in August 2024.