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NLC Lists Dangers Of Oil Subsidy Removal
The proposed removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government will encourage the adulteration of petroleum products in the country, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Delta State, Mr Mike Akusu, has said.
Akusu told newsmen in Asaba yesterday that with the removal of subsidy, dealers of petroleum products would want to make more gains by adulterating the products.
He said that the subsidy removal would also push the country back to the era of “non-availability” of the products, with escalating prices.
The NLC chairman further said that the removal of the subsidy would cause unemployment.
He explained that the common man, especially artisans, who depended on such products to power their generators, would no longer afford the products.
“And that will consequently result in increase in criminality, mass unemployment and inflation in the prices of other goods in the market.”
Akusu advised the Federal Government to take into consideration the adverse effects of its policies on the populace before implementation.
In his reactions to the proposed fuel subsidy removal, Dr John Nwachokor, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Delta chapter, said “it will only help in enriching politicians”.
He complained that even the 13 per cent derivation fund to oil producing states in the country had not been well-utilised.
Nwachokor said that more than half of the benefiting states had no developmental structures on ground to show for what they received.
He accused the government of some of the benefiting states of diverting the funds, rather than using it for the development of the states.
Also reacting, a commercial motorcyclist, Mr Chukwujindu Anozia, appealed to the Federal Government not to remove the oil subsidy.
He said “the current status of availability of petroleum products and at pump price is the best gift any president can give to the country.’’
He commended late President Umar Yar’Adua “for his foresight in subsidising petroleum products to ameliorate the hardships of the people.”
He also appealed to President GoodLuck Jonathan to maintain the status quo.
Another commercial motorcyclist, Mr David Eluaka, said that the removal of subsidy would cause more hardship in the nation.
He said, “it will amount to going back to the days of petroleum products users spending nights at filling stations just to get products.”
He appealed to the Federal Government to always work toward enhancing the living conditions of its citizenry rather than making them worse.
Meanwhile, Some Islamic leaders on Tuesday described the planned removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government as ill-timed, given the prevalent climate of unemployment, poverty and bad infrastructure in the country.
The leaders spoke in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos.
Alhaji Lateef Okunnu, President, Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, said the planned removal was a very delicate issue that would expose Nigerians to more hardship.
“The removal is ill-timed and unnecessary because it would make Nigerians pay more for fuel and other goods and services under a climate of unemployment, bad infrastructure and poverty,’’ he told newsmen.
Okunnu, a former Federal Commissioner for Works, said that the cost of governance— which he noted had been too high— should be reduced at the expense of fuel subsidy.
“The cost of governance is artificially high and if it is reduced very well, funds saved would be used in executing more capital projects,’’ he said.
The Islamic leader urged the Federal Government to reduce the allowances and salaries of legislators, which he claimed was too high.
He also advised the government to reduce the number of Ministers and Advisers, saying there were only 12 Federal Commissioners who performed the role of Ministers when he served and that they did not perform badly.
“Even the developed economies do not have large numbers of Ministers like ours. We were 12 Ministers then and we did not perform badly, ‘’ he said.
Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, a retired don at the University of Lagos, described the planned removal as “unfortunate”.
“It is unfortunate that such removal could be brought at a time when Nigerians are just getting off the trauma of violence,’’ he said.
Gbadamosi said that removal of the subsidy would be very harsh on the people, alluding that it was ill-timed and unnecessary.
“It is a misplaced priority that needs not be introduced at a time when the issue of minimum wage , militancy, violence, poverty and bad infrastructure are yet to be resolved,’’ Gbadamosi explained.
The Federal Government had recently announced its plan to remove fuel subsidy from 2012 as part of reforms to salvage the economy.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.