Remove Fuel Subsidy, Rejig Economy Before 2023, Christian Group Tells President Buhari
- A group has described the fuel subsidy regime in Nigeria as a creation of elites' 'pipeline' to swindle the Nigeria economy
- The group, Nigeria Christian Forum, lamented that fuel subsidy was long over-due for complete removal
- The forum tasked the Nigeria National Petroleum Limited to channel funds recovered from the removal of subsidy to rehabilitation and reactivation of refineries
FCT, Abuja - A religious group, Nigeria Christian Forum, (NCF), a coalition of Protestants and Catholic faithful have declared their support for the plans of the federal government to begin fuel subsidy removal.
According to the group, the initiative is one step the federal government must be courageous to take to salvage the nation from total collapse.
Source: Facebook
The NCF said there are indicators that are strong enough to show that, if the fuel subsidy which guzzles a whopping sum of N250 billion monthly was not removed now, Nigeria would have allowed itself affliction that would continue to have a devastating effect on its economy.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, January 17, chairman of the Nigeria Christian Forum (NCF), Bishop John Mathew who was flanked by other executives lamented that "fuel subsidy," was an identified evil that must be tackled headlong without sparing any effort.
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His words:
“For decades, one wonders, why the federal government has failed in the turnaround maintenances of the two refineries, one in Kaduna and another in Port Harcourt.
“If the refineries are working, there would be no need for the importation of fuel and it could be optimally produced locally which, of course, means there is no need for fuel subsidy, so we know where our challenges in the oil sector lie.
“As of April 2021, there was a slight decline in the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to 56 million litres, despite FG's effort at ensuring continuous increase which the NNPC recorded trading surplus by 24% in that month.”
The forum further called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other private sectors to support the federal government's bid to remove the fuel subsidy.
They urged the organised labour to shelve their planned protest and toe the path of dialogue, warning that any attempt to protest would be hijacked by hoodlums, particularly that Nigeria is now in the electioneering campaign year.
Forum of CSOs endorse removal of fuel subsidy by government
Recall that the forum of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria on Thursday, December 2, 2021, rose up from an extraordinary meeting and backed the federal government's plan for fuel subsidy removal.
The leaders of the group resolved to comprehensively and compositely support the Buhari administration on the move, adding that the policy will take Nigeria to the realm of fulfilled potentialities.
A communique was released after the meeting signed by Comrade Friday Maduka, chairman, Forum of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria.
CSOs, professional groups declare support for subsidy removal
Similarly, a group of CSOs and professionals drawn from the various parts of the country have insisted on the removal of fuel subsidy, saying that the regime was partly responsible for the economic woes of the country.
The group in a communique after a one-day national town hall meeting in Abuja attended by a Legit.ng reporter on Monday, January 10 stated that the fuel subsidy which has existed for decades has been without transparency and accountability.
According to the group, the development has caused the federal government to spend a whopping sum of N250 billion monthly.
Source: Legit.ng
