By Tina Amanda
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN Rivers State, has called on the government to subsidise food for its citizens as a hungry man on the street has nothing to sacrifice for subsidy removal.
IPMAN Chairman Rivers State, Dr Joseph Obele, stated this while reacting to the recent publication that the Federal government have saved four hundred (400) billion so far in four weeks, as Nigeria will keep over three (3) trillion annually from Subsidy removal.
“Mr President requested that Nigerians pay sacrifice for the removal of fuel subsidy; the hungry man can not sacrifice. Nigerians are suffering and hungry, arising from the high cost of food; what we should subsidies now should be food.
“In January 2012, the Federal Government of Nigeria during the Jonathan’s Administration established the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program known as ‘SURE-P under the Chairmanship of Dr Christopher Kolade. The proactive measure was with the Objective of re-investing the Federal Government savings from fuel subsidy removal on critical infrastructure projects and social safety net programmes with a direct impact on the citizens of Nigeria.
“National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said food inflation in 2023 rose to 24.45, as against the initial 22.4, representing a 7.25 per cent, which is worrisome indicating hardship on the citizens of Nigeria”.
Obele also called on the government to channel the amount saved from subsidy removal to fix the country’s refineries.
“The status quo has come to stay, and there is nothing much anyone can do about it because the glorified Saviour of the masses (Nigeria Labour Congress) has betrayed the people of Nigeria. There was no fundamental stakeholders round table before the removal.
“Today, it is evident as contained in the news, that Federal Government, since the recent removal of fuel subsidy, has saved over #400 billion so far in four weeks and is hopeful of saving #3 trillion every year.
“The amount they have saved so far should be channelled towards the immediate finishing of Nigeria-owned refineries’ ongoing rehabilitation.
“Now the question is, who will account for the savings?
“Who will manage the savings?
“What will the savings be used for?
“How will the average Nigerian benefit from the savings?
“Will it not be another window for super looting? I wish they told us how the savings will be channeled for the betterment of the people of Nigeria before the removal”.
