PPA Cautions Jonathan Against Petroleum Subsidy Removal

The Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) has advised President Goodluck Jonathan not to heed governors’ call to remove subsidy on petroleum products.

Chief Sam Nkire, National Chairman of PPA, made the call in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Abuja.

Nkire said removing the subsidy on petroleum products shortly after Jonathan was sworn-in as President  would make people lose hope in the new government.

He said heeding the call would make the new government unpopular with the people and might even degenerate to civil unrest

Nkire said governors could look inward in order to enable them pay the N18,000 minimum wage to civil servants.

According to him, the minimum wage challenge is a wake-up call for state governments to improve on infrastructural bases and enhance internally-generated revenue.

“State governors can cut down on their expenditure instead of calling for the removal of oil subsidy which could further aggravate the bad security situation in the country,’’ Nkire added.