Subsidy has failed, must end immediately —Shehu Sani

Former lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has slammed the continued removal of petroleum subsidies in Nigeria without corresponding benefits to the Nigerian masses.

There has been apprehension over the planned removal of subsidy with marketers and other petroleum stakeholders projecting that the development may push fuel prices to N750 per litre.

A number of Nigerians have also described it as wasteful and agitating for its immediate stoppage.

In light of the budgetary allocation that had gone into servicing subsidy, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration previously promised to stop it completely by June this year

However, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council few days ago said the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will decide the date the fuel subsidy will be removed.

Speaking on the development in a tweet on Wednesday, Sani said subsidies have not benefitted Nigerians in any way.

The former lawmaker insisted it should be ended with immediate effect.

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“For decades, every month, hundreds of millions of dollars are given to parasites in the name of petroleum subsidy supposed to ease the suffering of the masses but it has not. We have always protested in support of subsidy. It’s time to end subsidies”, Sani wrote.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had protested the planned removal saying all refineries in the country must be made functional before that could take place.

The General Secretary of NLC, Emma Ugboaja, in a chat in Lagos on Tuesday, said nobody should drag Nigerian masses and workers into any increase in fuel price in the name of subsidy removal, insisting that organized labour will not accept it.

Ugboaja: “It will be uncharitable in 2023 for any government to talk about subsidy or no subsidy for a product that is naturally and thoroughly well-endowed in Nigeria. It smacks of wickedness for us to be discussing subsidy as an issue, rather than discussing production.

‘’The energy and resources people are putting into discussing subsidy show a lack of focus. It shows a lack of seriousness and a lack of appreciation of what governance should be. If in 2023, rather than getting people that will make proper use of our natural endowment, we are busy discussing the cosmetic challenge of subsidy or no subsidy, it is absurd.”

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