From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Public Policy, Information and Publicity Directorate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mrs. Mabel Oboh has faulted President Bola Tinubu for announcing the removal of fuel subsidy without consulting with the relevant stakeholders in the country.
She expressed her reservations in her statement tagged “Fuel Subsidy Removal: A Public Policy Disaster” and made available to newsmen in Benin City.
Mrs. Oboh said the recent announcement by the Nigerian government of fuel subsidy removal is a significant policy change that has garnered a wide range of reactions from different segments of the society.
Oboh said despite the widespread outcry trailing the removal of fuel subsidy in the country, the newly-sworn in government has insisted that fuel subsidy was gone for good, claiming that there is no funds for it anymore.
The former Edo State governorship candidate on the platform of ADC said Nigeria’s 16th democratically elected President, Bola Tinubu, sparked off the fuel subsidy controversy during his inaugural address on May 29, when he announced that petrol subsidy was gone.
She said his reason was that the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari did not make provision for subsidy in the 2023 budget beyond June 2023.
She maintained that to the dismay of Nigerians, within 24 hours of the President’s announcement, the price of petrol –Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) – across the country increased to between N488 and N557 per litre.
She said the action tripling the cost of living for a population already considered the poorest in the world is a smirk of insensitivity, a leadership flaw, which in this case, is capable of making the world’s poverty capital transit quickly to grave-yards status.
She said putting into account the economic woes Nigerians are currently facing, there is no doubt that the decision to remove fuel subsidy is expected to have a notable impact on inflation, particularly concerning transportation costs, food prices and the prices of imported goods.
She maintained that public policies are meant to always protect the interest of the masses and not forced on them to wipe away their means of livelihood and make them destitute and beggars.
She added that It is inhumane to put out a policy without consulting stakeholders and considering the interest of the public.
She called on president Tinubu to borrow a leaf from other countries that have removed their petrol subsidy without inflicting pains on their citizens.
“However, it is important to note that fuel subsidy reforms have been carried out successfully by many countries such as Indonesia and India without crippling their economy.
“These exemplary successes can serve as a guide to the Nigeria government.
“Take Egypt for instance. They embarked on a long term well-structured subsidy reform stretching from 2014 to 2022.
” Fiscal pressures, economic reforms and IMF support drove the reform.
“Also, the government implemented gradual price increase, automatic pricing mechanisms and social protection measures.
“Most significantly, Egypt is using the fuel subsidy savings to expand social safety nets, health insurance and other public services”,Oboh said.