IPMAN Wants Palliative Measures Before Subsidy Removal

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Federal Government to put in place palliative measures before removing subsidy on petroleum.

Alhaji Dele Tajudeen, IPMAN’s chairman said removing subsidy without first putting such measures in place would increase the hardship  facing Nigerians.

He advised the government to first fix the nation’s four refineries and address the educational and health sectors, adding that government needs to revive the health and educational sectors, fix dead and collapsing infrastructure in the country, so that life can be more meaningful  for the average Nigerians.

The IPMAN boss added that government should stop the ongoing dialogue over the fuel subsidy removal because it could lead to inflation if not properly handled.

He emphasised that government should create the enabling environment for investors to build more refineries and repair the existing ones to refine crude oil for domestic consumption.

On the Union’s position, the IPMAN boss said “our position is that government should make all the country’s four refineries to operate at maximum capacity as well as establish more, so that Nigeria do not have to import petroleum products again”.

Alhaji Tajudeen called on the Federal Government to be more forthcoming on its agenda to revamp the economy and bring an end to the suffering of the masses.

Meanwhile, the National Council of Unemployed Nigerians has called on the Federal Government to include its members in the palliatives to ameliorate the effect of the proposed removal of subsidy on petroleum.

National President of the organisation, Comrade Otuekong Ndaeyo said the organisation was not against the removal of subsidy from Petroleum.

He said that the organisation is a body of unemployed Nigerians with a large population of 43.9 million spread across the country, stressing that there must be a social security for these vulnerable Nigerians.