Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State believes Nigeria’s biting economic situation is an “inevitable” phase for the betterment of the nation.
Soludo stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
Recall that Nigeria’s inflation level rose to 31.70 per cent in February with the cost of living shooting up in the wake of the fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira.
Reacting to the development, Soludo said this is a phase needed before the country begins to flourish.
He said, “You see, sometimes, I kind of feel we don’t get it.”
On the nation’s economy, Soludo likened the country’s situation to a patient undergoing treatment.
He said, “But whether there will be pains for any step you take or the other, it is going to be. It is inevitable. But that is obviously what we need to pass through,” he said, maintaining that President Bola Tinubu inherited a bad economy upon assumption of office in May 2023.
“We must realise that things were really bad. We must get it clear that there is no easy way to get this patient who has multiple problems [to become better],” Soludo added.
Soludo, who is marking his second year in office, also spoke about his achievements since 2022, adding that his government has created jobs for the masses.
”In the first nine months of coming into office, we have employed over 5,000 teachers and processing 2,000 more,” the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor said.
“We have employed over 1,000 health workers and in the area of security, we have over 2,000 employed.”
Earlier in the day, Soludo told a congregation during a thanksgiving service to celebrate his two years in office that he is not drawing salaries from the Anambra government. This, he said, is part of austerity measures.
“As I speak to you, I am not taking any salary, I am not paid any salary by Anambra State government. Even the First Lady of Anambra doesn’t have any official car, she still drives my personal vehicles,” he said.