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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna; Tony John, Port Harcourt; Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin; Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri and Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The fuel subsidy issue has been a contentious one in Nigeria over the years. The President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has vowed to remove fuel subsidy as soon as he assumes office next month.
Saturday Sun spoke with some Nigerians on their positions on the seemingly intractable fuel subsidy matter.
I don’t support subsidy removal – Prof. Bello Mohammed Magaji, lawyer
I am not in support of subsidy removal; rather, the corruption that goes with subsidy is what should be addressed by the government. Fuel is the only resource aside dividends of good governance that the citizens can benefit from government, which is in abundance. However, the corruption that goes with it at every stage of the process has made it valueless in that a few in the society get increasingly richer at the expense of other Nigerians, which the subsidy ought to benefit.
Government should introduce policies to ease removal – Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, spokesperson, Coalition of Northern Groups
Since most economists agree that fuel subsidy is an unsustainable drag on public finances, at this point, there is no need debating whether or not it should be removed or retained. What should be the matter by now is how Nigerians should pressure government to introduce policies that would ease the removal. Even the NLC that threatened action has placed a condition that the removal can be allowed if the incoming administration of Bola Tinubu takes steps towards the repair and revitalisation of government refineries across the country and allow modular refineries.
Removal of subsidy, a settled issue- Anthony Sani, pharmacist
The decision to remove oil subsidy seems to be a settled issue. The only challenge has been how Labour Union would take it. And one way of appeasing the Labour Union would be to create a Trust Fund reminiscent of PTF into which the differences in the prices would be paid. Such funds could be used as intervention fund in two areas of human capital, namely: education and health. That way, the Labour Union may not protest the removal of fuel subsidy. That would be the contribution by Nigerians to the improvement of both volume and quality of education and health services.
Subsidy is organised crime by elites and cabals – Emmanuel Ogbidi, civil society activist
Following the circumstances that have characterised the removal of subsidy on PMS by previous governments, it is crystal clear that subsidy is an organised crime by the elites and cabals, who install governments at various levels. Therefore, the government should summon up the courage to remove it.
Refineries must work before subsidy removal – Edwin Asibor, civil society activist
The only condition on which the fuel subsidy can be acceptably removed is when our refineries have been fixed to a workable state, in addition to the completion of Dangote’s refineries. Anything short of this is a scam and not acceptable.
Fuel subsidy shouldn’t be removed – Mike Ahamba, SAN
Fuel subsidy should not be removed. The fuel belongs to the people. There’s nothing bad if the government parts with their money to make it work, provided fraud does not come into it.
I don’t support subsidy removal- Wale Adeniyi, civil servant
I don’t support the planned removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government. Why would I do that? Already the economy is in shambles and I am buying a full tank for my car with N15, 000. And from what we are hearing, the pump price per litre will be doubled. Th at means I will be filling up my car with N30, 000! How much is my salary? For me, I say no to fuel subsidy removal.
I support total removal, but palliatives must be in place – Remo Oparande, farmer
I support total removal of fuel subsidy next year, but on conditions that several palliatives must be first put in place to cushion the anticipated effects of the removal. The Federal Government too must be sincere to channel the fund accrued from the subsidy removal into making other sectors work, to alleviate the economic situation. Even, the issue of salary increase must be handled with all the serious it demands, while our local refineries must be fixed so that we can refine our crude here
No to subsidy removal – Jackson Ojo, security expert
I will not advise the next president to remove subsidy until all our local refineries begin to operate optimally and importation is stopped. If this is not considered very necessary and subsidy is removed, it will add more hardship to the citizens and it will aggravate the level of insecurity and eventually people will take to self help which will eventually lead to anarchy.
There should be conditions for removal – Livingstone Wechie, public analyst
The fuel subsidy regime has continued to be portrayed as a criminal cartel enterprise and a scam, enriching a certain state and private agents at the expense of citizens. The incoming administration must come out clean on this. Though if any, the government cannot outright remove subsidy because the welfare of citizens remain its primary responsibility within the context. The incoming administration should only remove the subsidy provided it guarantees that functional state-owned refineries are quickly put in place. It is only the government and not the private sector that will subsidise petroleum products for Nigerians. Hence the government will fail if it pretends about the realities raised by Nigerians concerning petroleum subsidy.
