Young Progressive Party (YPP) candidate for Okigwe South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Hon Kesandu Kingsley Kenkwo has lambasted the federal government of Nigeria on the recent alleged removal of fuel subsidy, an issue that has generated mixed reactions from the public, prompting the proposed nation wide strike that was foiled by the courts.
Mr Kesandu in a public statement issued at his on campaign headquarters Ihitte Uboma Local Government proposal and actions as insensitive and unsincere.
Full text of the politicians statement in which he appeal to the president Ahmed Bola Tinubu to soft pedal and change gear reads as follows, ‘’ In Nigeria today, majority of citizens support the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector but frown at the modus operandi of the federal government.
While I agree that the country is loosing so much in the process of subsidizing petroleum products such as the premium motor spirit, the government should be bold enough to take full responsibility of the said theft of subsidy money.
Since Federal government over the years have not shown responsibility towards fixing the refineries to put an end to the quagmire of going abroad to refine crude, I strongly believe they are architects of the current misfortune of the nation.
As citizens, what exactly is our government doing or say, subsidizing for us like other countries of the world do to their citizens? Other countries subsidize oil, education, medicare, agriculture etc but here, the pressure is always on the citizens and unfortunately, the federal government does not care.
Severally, government has come out to tell us how some people are feeding fat from proceeds from the fuel subsidy and no one has asked, who are these people responsible for this criminality? Who is responsible for taking our crude oil outside the shores of the country for refine and why can’t we account for the oil? Are we not supposed to hold some people responsible for this, instead of punishing citizens?
Sadly, I doubt if the federal can give account of the amount of fuel being consumed daily by Nigerians.
Let us agree, it should be removed, was President Tinubu’s action presidential vis-a-viz when and how he announced the removal? Everyone understands the adverse effect of the policy on citizens and as such, there should be measures put on ground to cushion such effect.
Rearrange our custom service, and open up our borders to saturate the country with food, which will kick down the high cost of food items in the country.
Government should cut the tax obligation of workers and pensions and then look at an increase in minimum wage.
Also, have a meeting with ‘DisCos and GENCOs’ on how to at least, give 18hours of power supply all over the nation.
Trust me, with the aforementioned and other things to be put in place, the effect of the removal, will not be that terrible on the people.
The coming of Dangote refinery is beautiful but we must also realize that it is not meant for just Nigeria and as such, we must not think it’s uhuru, hence, the need to revive our own moribund refineries in Rivers, Kaduna and Delta States respectively.
While I support the subsidy removal, I suggest federal government should be more responsible and pragmatic to use the funds frugally and prudently for the good of the people and development of the nation. Though I am highly skeptical considering how careless reckless and extravagant government has been in the past. Remember, ‘when fuel sneezes, the economy catches cough and catarrh’.
In this country, military caught oil vessel and set it ablaze and as today, no one is held responsible for that act. This is one of those reasons, I hardly trust the system.
But if Mr. Tinubu will not be responsible enough as President to judiciously use the funds and serve the people, let the subsidy continue while those criminals should be investigated, arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law. Nigeria belongs to all of us and no one is more Nigerian than another’’.
