36 govs endorsed fuel subsidy removal -Lamido reveals

Posted by admin Governors, Oil Politics Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

ALL the 36 state governors of the federation are fully in support of the proposed removal of subsidy from petroleum products by the Federal Government, Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has revealed.

Alhaji Lamido made the disclosure while speaking at the closing ceremony of a workshop organised for business editors and finance correspondents by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), held at the Staff Development Institution in Dutse.

He pointed out that the billions of naira being expended as fuel subsidy was unjustifiable and an avenue for the bourgeoisie to milk the nation and rob it of social and economic development.

According to him, the three tiers of government were being forced to cough up a huge amount of money as subsidy on a monthly basis.

“Leaders should be courageous to come up with decisions that would free Nigerians from difficulties. Today, in this country, only those who are courageous say the truth in the debate on deregulation and this is why I commend the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,” he said.

The governor, who frowned on the position of the labour unions on the policy, stated that workers’ agitation for the implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage could only be met when deductions from the Federation Accounts towards subsidy were made.

“They say governors are thieves. I can’t imagine a governor stealing N50 billion, when compared with what the bourgeoisie, who have formed a cartel of the so-called oil importers who rake in N1.3trillion of Nigerians’ money to their pockets. What value are these people adding to the country?” he queried.

He charged those commenting on the policy to look beyond political and selfish interests and engage in a holistic rational approach on the proposed policy.

On the insecurity and socio-economic crisis rocking the nation, Lamido blamed them on lack of justice and accountability in the utilisation of public resources.

“We keep on vilifying each other by making references to other countries and economies. But for us to forge ahead, we must trust in one another and the leadership. Where there is no trust, no country can prosper, survive or be secure,” Governor Lamido said.

He charged the NDIC to work assiduously to inspire the confidence of Nigerians in the financial institution for the country to have a virile economy.

Meanwhile, the spiritual father and chairman of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide (Ayo ni o), The Most Reverend Samuel Abidoye, on Wednesday, warned President Goodluck Jona-than to desist from its plan to remove petroleum subsidy.

The spiritual leader, who gave the warning while speaking with newsmen at the international headquarters of the church in Kaduna, argued that removal of the subsidy would worsen condition of every Nigerian.

“It will be inhuman on the part of the Jonathan-led administration to withdraw fuel subsidy when the successive governments in the country had failed to maintain the existing refineries or build new ones.

“The removal of fuel subsidy will worsen the plight of the already suffering Nigerian masses and could send the country down the precipice of further violence,” he said.

The cleric, however, advised the Federal Government to work towards revamping the nation’s four comatose refineries and building new ones before taking step on the removal of oil subsidy.

“The overwhelming public outcry against the planned removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government has exploded the myth and claims that deregulation would be to the advantage of the ordinary Nigerians. Already, fuel has become scarce and queues have surfaced in petrol stations across the country, in anticipation of the price increase,” he said.

On the recent demise of the late Biafran warlord, Chief Chukwuemeka Odu-megwu Ojukwu, the spiritual father said Nigeria had lost one of its illustrious sons at a time when his counsel was needed most.

The cleric prayed that God would grant the entire Ojukwu family the fortitude to bear the loss

-Tribunewp_posts