‘Fuel Subsidy: No Provision For N5,000 Allowance In 2022 Budget’

There is no provision for N5,000 monthly allowance for 40 million Nigerians in the 2022 budget, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Adeola Olamilekan, has said.
The lawmaker, who disclosed this to journalists Wednesday, said there was still a provision for subsidy in the 2022 budget submitted by the executive to the national assembly.
He was reacting to an announcement made by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed.
Ms Ahmed had on Tuesday said, the federal government will remove fuel subsidy and replace it with a monthly N5,000 transport grant to poor Nigerians.
The transport grant, she explained, will target about 30 to 40 million Nigerians who make up the poorest population of the country. And available resources after the removal of fuel subsidy will determine the number of beneficiaries.
Many Nigerians have kicked against this plan. Both the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress have opposed the plan especially since negotiations are still ongoing with regards to subsidy removal.
The Tide Source had reported how Nigeria spend over N102.5 billion monthly to subsidise petrol.
But the government’s plan is new to the National Assembly as no allocation was made in the 2022 budget currently before the lawmakers, Mr Adeola told journalists.
The proposal, he said, is still a rumour to him because before the executive can embark on such intervention, a proposal will be sent to national assembly.