Worried by the alleged fraud inherent in fuel subsidy regime and the current administration avowed promise to do things differently, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has urged the Federal Government not to play to the gallery by succumbing to pressures from fuel ‘Cartel’ who do not mean well for the nation by asking the government to continue with the option of subsidy.
In a statement issued on Monday and made available to DAILY POST in Abuja, its Executive Secretary, Comrade Ikpa described the situation as a black hole that could destroy the nation’s economy if it is not closed up.
He further noted that the combination of the fuel crisis and the weakened national currency has made life a living hell for citizens who are being forced to pay higher amounts to black marketers and some petrol stations that openly sell above the subsidized price.
“The Federal Government must accept that the situation around fuel supply is no longer about saving face or living up to political promises. President Muhammadu Buhari has to face the glaring reality that the huge amount pouring into the black hole about the subsidy cannot be sustained”,the statement said.
“It is clear for all to see now that all the efforts and strategies for keeping subsidy on petrol in place have failed irretrievably on account of constant theft and volatility of the global economy.
“As a nation, we cannot continue to be obstinate about this since as an oil producing country, it would naturally sell below global prices once local refining capacity is improved”, it added.
The statement argued that Protests of 2012 by the organised Labour demanding the retainership of fuel subsidy was no longer realistic this time, hence if there was such protests, they would rather demand for removal of fuel subsidy.
“It is true that the Occupy Protests of 2012 fought the government at that time to a standstill to retain subsidy payment. But the Occupy Protests that could occur in 2016 would rather be insisting that subsidy must be discontinued within hours if the federal government does not act promptly.
It called on Nigerians to show understanding with the government and to offer suggestions on how life can be made better for all in the post-subsidy era and that they must continue to call for the prosecution of those that robbed the nation under the guise of collecting subsidy.
コメント