Why governors could not oppose subsidy removal

Posted by admin Latest Politics Saturday, January 14th, 2012

Olaleye

Despite the outrage over the January 1 removal of fuel subsidy and attempts by labour and civil society groups to court governors to back the protests, reasons emerged at the weekend why governors of the 36 governors of the federation will support the controversial policy.

According to sources, notwithstanding the feeble attempts by Action Congress of Nigeria governors to distance themselves from the policy, the governors, irrespective of party affiliations, were helpless over the issue of fuel subsidy removal.

One of the sources, a governor from the southern part of the country, said they had long taken a decision that the federal government should cease to illegally deduct funds accruable to states at source to fund fuel subsidy.

The decision, THISDAY gathered, was taken in the wake of the controversy that trailed the agitation for the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage.

“It is difficult for us (the governors) to have our cake and eat it. We had fought the government at the centre to a standstill over illegal deductions of our money and if this is so, then I didn’t see how the federal government would sustain the subsidy on fuel,” the governor said.

He admitted that although deregulation was purely a federal government policy that is in the overall national interest, if religiously implemented, states would also benefit from it as some of them have their own development blueprints which require heavy funding.
The governor, however, condemned what he described as the “ill-timed” removal of the subsidy, adding that certain things should have been put in place to address the fears of the people.

The governor who did not seem impressed with the cost cutting measures announced by President Goodluck Jonathan on January 7, said such measures depicted insincerity in governance.

“What is 25 percent of his basic salary or that of other political office holders compared to the perks that come with being in such offices?

“I think he really needs to sit down to analyse these things and come up with proper and sustainable measures that would be acceptable to all. The issue is very sensitive and must be addressed as such,” he said.

Another governor said fuel subsidy is no longer sustainable by the government otherwise the country would soon be plunged into serious economic and financial crisis.
The governor expressed worry at the level of corruption that had been concealed in the name of subsidy, adding that the current figures show clearly that they are being doctored at each turn.

“It is so bad now that even when you get to Abuja, you don’t have anywhere to park your aircraft because these small, small boys now have private jets parked all over the place.
“So where did they get the money from? Subsidy! We obviously cannot sustain it and the earlier we embrace the truth, the better.

“Sincerely, the situation is very worrisome but not everyone can see the reality. With the facts available to us, it is unpatriotic to continue to fund the subsidy on fuel,” he said.

-Thisdaywp_posts