7th October, 2011
The National Secretary of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Mr Ganiyu Galadima has said that total removal of fuel subsidy might increase the cost of living in the country.
Galadima made the statement in Abuja on Thursday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
The ACPN scribe noted that subsidy on petroleum products was the only benefit Nigerians enjoy, advising the Federal Government to have a re-think on the matter.
“Total removal of subsidy as being envisaged by the government, with active support of the Nigerian Governors
Forum, is ill-conceived and an attempt to further impoverish the citizens.
“Any increase in the pump price of petrol and kerosene will lead to increase in the prices of goods and services,’’ Galadima said.
He further urged the government to look into other ways of generating revenue rather than taking steps to worsen the living conditions of the masses.
“Nothing is wrong with government maintaining its policy but it is the execution. What the government should do is to block all leakages of that policy by stopping senior officials of the NNPC from profiting immensely from it.
“It is advisable that the government looks in the direction of other sources of revenue than toying with the temperament of the poor masses, ‘’ he said.
NAN recalls that President Goodluck Jonathan, in a letter dated 4 October, to the National Assembly, conveying his administration’s medium term expenditure framework, said that the Federal Government would begin the removal of fuel subsidy next year.