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By Adewale Sanyaolu
The National Association of Seadogs, Pyrates Confraternity (NAS/PC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lead the political class to make sacrifices and cut cost of governance as part of efforts to save funds and ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians after the removal of petrol subsidy.
NAS/PC in a statement, ‘Petrol Subsidy Removal must address the plight of poor Nigerians’ signed by the NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje made reference to Tinubu’s speech on June 12 asking for Nigerians to make sacrifices, stating that it is time for the President and the political class o also make sacrifices on behalf of Nigerians.
Owoaje while admitting that the economic reasons for the removal of petrol subsidy were compelling because the President Tinubu administration inherited an “economy in dire straits and appalling macroeconomic indices” however pointed out that poor Nigerians have been at the receiving end of the petrol subsidy removal with the attendant inflation.
He conceded that it is reprehensible that Nigeria, the biggest producer of oil in Africa, is importing refined petroleum products for local consumption adding that a combination of ineptitude, and corruption enthroned by the political elite and successive administrations in Nigeria have condoned the total collapse of the four refineries in the country paving the way for the importation of petrol to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians.
Owoaje who reeled out figures from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) listing huge funds spent on subsidy, noted that democracy is about the people and their welfare, and implore President Tinubu administration to make the petrol subsidy removal count for Nigerians.
He knocked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas over the recent appointment of 30 aides stressing that political office holders should rethink their lavish spending.
Owoaje enjoined President Tinubu to wage war against corruption to ensure funds being saved from petrol subsidy removal are not looted through other means.
He called for the dismantling of the opaque system in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company through reforms to encourage foreign investment.
The statement read in part: “Closely linked to the drastic reforms in the oil sector is a genuine and holistic rehabilitation of our refineries. The President Bola Tinubu administration must take a definite stand on retaining ownership of the refineries to promote efficiency. The country cannot continue to waste funds to repair refineries that have been designed not to work.
“Also, the NEC should ensure a deliberate policy is designed to promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), create jobs and make Nigeria’s economy more productive. Conscious efforts should be made to promote made in Nigeria goods to make Nigeria self-reliant.”
