Bolaji Abdullahi, the former Minister for Youth Development and Sports, has shed light on the stringent austerity measures imposed by former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2012 fuel subsidy removal crisis.
Abdullahi disclosed that Jonathan had restricted each minister’s car usage to a maximum of two and prohibited first-class travel for cabinet members to alleviate the financial strain on government resources.
In a recent interview following the presentation of the ‘Budget of Hope’ for the 2024 fiscal year by President Bola Tinubu, Abdullahi reflected on Jonathan’s measures amidst discussions around the allocation and utilization of funds in the proposed budget.
Abdullahi emphasized that despite some ministers’ non-compliance with the directive, Jonathan urged them to consider the hardships faced by Nigerians and reduce the cost of governance.
He said, “I remember in January 2012, during the issue of the fuel subsidy. That was the first time the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, wanted to take the issue of fuel subsidy head-on.
“I remember at one of the meetings, former President Jonathan told us that as ministers, we could no longer travel first class.
“He also said we could no longer move around with sirens, and we could only go out with our car and one other backup car.
“He said we needed to reflect sensitivity to the feelings of the people. Some people complied, and some others didn’t comply, but the principle was very clear, and we also tried to adjust.
“I tried to imagine a National Assembly where a decision is taken that, given the situation of the country, they (National Assembly) are going to buy from Nigeria cars like Innoson Motors, and they can use some part of the money for their constituency. I can’t imagine how Nigerians would hail them if that kind of decision were taken.”
