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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.
