Senator Sani Yerima, the former Governor of Zamfara State, has called on Nigerians to exercise patience and perseverance in order to overcome the current economic challenges facing the country.

He emphasized that the discomfort experienced by Nigerians due to certain decisions made by President Bola Tinubu will soon be resolved.

Yerima made these remarks during an interview with State House Correspondents after his meeting with President Tinubu on Monday. He urged citizens to understand that these decisions were made in the best interest of the nation and its people.

According to Yerima, President Tinubu’s three major decisions will contribute to Nigeria’s development. Firstly, the removal of fuel subsidy, a step that previous leaders were unable to take. Secondly, the harmonization of foreign exchange rates, which will facilitate the import and export system. Lastly, the reopening of the borders to promote the inflow of goods and services into Nigeria.

Yerima stressed that these decisions were made with the long-term benefit of Nigeria in mind. He called for patience, as the initial discomfort caused by the subsidy removal, in particular, would gradually diminish.

Moreover, Yerima assured Nigerians that the government is already working on implementing palliative measures to alleviate the impact of the subsidy removal on petrol. Discussions are underway with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to address this issue.

Regarding the issue of banditry in Zamfara and other parts of the North-West region, Yerima advocated for dialogue between the Nigerian government and the bandits. He believes that the Nigerian military and security agencies possess the capability to effectively handle the situation, provided they receive adequate resources, support, and political will.

Yerima emphasized the importance of avoiding collateral damage that may arise from forceful actions. He cited the successful resolution of the Niger-Delta militants issue during the tenure of the late President Umaru Yar’adua, which involved dialogue.

Yerima attributed the root causes of the banditry problem to poverty and ignorance. He expressed his belief that a government-led rehabilitation program would lead to a successful resolution of the crisis.

In conclusion, Senator Sani Yerima appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and support the President’s decisions. He assured them that measures are being taken to mitigate the impact of subsidy removal, and he advocated for dialogue as the means to address the issue of banditry in the country.