Niger Delta
‘Subsidy Removal, Ill-Timed’
Former Speaker of the Cross River Assembly and currently member representing Abi/Yakurr federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa has described as ill-timed, the current removal of petroleum subsidy by the federal government.
Ewa said the development was ill-timed since there are no structures in place as well as palliatives to assuage the plight of Nigerians arising from the removal.
He remarked that the Goodluck Jonathan administration should not be in a haste to remove subsidy but should rather concentrate first in fixing certain infrastructures like the refineries, power, roads as well as provide enabling environment for the citizenry to ‘land softly’ in the face of the biting economy the development would cause Nigerians.
Ewa who was at the NUJ Press Centre in Calabar, where he addressed Journalists on the development as well as his prospects at the House of Representatives said there was nothing wrong with the subsidy removal but that the timing was wrong adding that it was like ‘putting the cart before the horse.’
He explained further that “in America, there is subsidy. How does it operate? American government keeps crude oil, keep fuel and when there is high demand or scarcity of fuel in American markets, the government pumps the product into the market and this will bring down the price”.
He said Nigerian government can do this if our refineries are functioning and regretted that our refineries are not working.
He lamented the none functioning of refineries and said the federal government should have ensured that the refineries are working before contemplating total withdrawal of the subsidy.
“Do you know what is going on in our system, we sold crude to others and they refined it and sell it back to us at a price higher than the crude we sold to them, why should Ghana give us electricity, why should Ghana sell fuel to us? Yet, we claim to be giant of Africa, we have brains in this country and means of making things work, yet we cannot come together and ensure things work,” he said.
The Lawmaker noted that nobody is against withdrawal of subsidy if the refineries are in good condition saying “the federal government should first address what is seen as the most critical aspect of that subsidy, which is work on our refineries, provide good roads. That is what the people are saying.”
He expressed disappointment that the federal government has not exposed the so- called cabals enjoying the subsidy and queried that” if there are cabals and the federal government
knows them, does it mean the federal government cannot arrest them; these people are not
masquerades, there are human beings, the President must be firm and order for the arrest and
prosecution of the cabal.”
ENDS
Niger Delta
Ibom Air Reiterates Commitment To Healthcare Delivery
Niger Delta
Group Dismisses Call For NDDC MD’s Sack … Passes Confidence Vote.
Niger Delta
Obaseki Approves N70,000 Minimum Wage For Workers
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Group Dismisses Call For NDDC MD’s Sack … Passes Confidence Vote.
-
Business4 days ago
Fuel Scarcity: IPMAN threatens shutdown over bridging claims
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Court Exonerates Ekpeye Monarch, 42 Others From Murder Of Ahoada DPO
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Ibom Air Reiterates Commitment To Healthcare Delivery
-
News4 days ago
Fubara Hails Finidi’s Choice As Super Eagles’ Head Coach
-
News4 days ago
Electricity tariff hike: NBA threatens lawsuit against DisCos
-
Nation2 days ago
VCDF in Partnership with LAWMA & Iru LCDA Conducts ‘Street Hygiene & Cleanliness’ Campaign in Lagos
-
News4 days ago
NANS Threatens Nationwide Protest Over Fuel Scarcity