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…Queries credibility of over N400b monthly subsidy payments
From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, Doctor Farah Dagogo, has assured Nigerians that a vote for the presidency of Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), will put an end to the perennial issue of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS), popularly known as petrol scarcity and other sundry problems facing the country that have remained intractable.
The Iawmaker, who represents Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the Lower Chambers of the National Assembly, made this known in a statement yesterday, in Port Harcourt.
He expressed concerns over the genuineness of subsidy payments for petrol, now said to be over iN400 billion monthly, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL ), Mele Kyari.
While sympathising with Nigerians, who were made to face untold hardship by queuing long hours for petrol sold at exorbitant prices between 350 and 400 per litre despite the ‘subsidy regime of over #400 billion monthly payments’, he lamented that there was no justification for Nigerians to be suffering in such manner alongside the scarce naira notes.
He restated his belief that a vote for Atiku Abubakar as the president of the country, would end difficulties of getting petrol products and phase out other challenges experienced by Nigerians and make them a thing of the past.
He said such challenges have already been adequately covered in Atiku Abubakar’s five-point-agenda tailored towards; restoring Nigeria’s unity, strengthening national security, fostering economic prosperity, improve educational delivery and restructure the polity.
He equally challenged state governors, particularly those that are already in court against the Federal Government on new Naira redesign, to extend such gusto to the high cost of petrol in spite of subsidy payments, adding that ‘the people are also being affected by such obnoxious policies’.
Dagogo said: “With just days to the presidential elections, this is another clarion call to Nigerians to understand and know that the future and survival of Nigeria is paramount and more important than any individual pursuit. On the 25th of February, 2023, we all, within the voting range, will have a more than a say on the future of Nigeria.
“We have lots of problems bedeviling us, insecurity, scarcity and high cost of petrol despite an alarming exorbitant subsidy payments of over N400 billion monthly, bad roads, inept governance and a whole sad lot.
“However, and thankfully we have someone with the midas touch to solve these havelange of problems. His name is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He has identified these problems and proffered a workable solution with his five-point-agenda that summarily intends towards ; restoring Nigeria’s unity, strengthening national security, fostering economic prosperity, improve educational delivery and re-structure the polity.
“Nigerians are suffering daily occasioned with high petrol cost that has led to high cost of living. I believe it will be of great comfort to Nigerians, if our governors can channel the energy they displayed in the redesign and phasing out of old Naira notes towards petrol scarcity and its high cost.
“Let us all query the over N400 billion monthly subsidy payments. Why are Nigerians buying petrol at such high rates when our government is supposedly paying such humongous amount for subsidy monthly? Since the governors claim their fight against the redesign policy was meant for the masses, that of petrol and the scam of this subsidy should also be of concern to them to defend the interests of the citizens.”
