The Federal Government stated yesterday that
contrary to the speculation in the media that the government was planning to
withdraw the remaining subsidy on petrol, such plan is not on its table for
now.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, released the statement saying:
"We wish to state categorically that, the
removal of oil subsidy is not on the table of the Transformation Agenda of the
President. The statement made by President Goodluck Jonathan at the recent
Economic Summit held in Lagos was a frank, intellectual and well-articulated
contribution by the President to the discussion on the Nigerian economy at the
said summit, and it was from a honest and sincere leadership perspective."
Read the rest after the cut...
"It is an undeniable fact that every
responsible leadership, genuine stakeholder and patriot must be worried when a
nation spends about N1 trillion, an
equivalent of about 20 per cent of the
national budget, on subsidy paid out to a few companies and enjoyed in the main
by very few elites, while the common man benefits only minimally.
"However, it is an incontrovertible fact that
sufficient allocation for fuel subsidy has already being made in the 2013
budget; therefore, there is no cause for alarm on removal of subsidy. The
President and this administration are not insensitive to the plights of the
Nigerian masses and will continue to pursue and execute policies and programmes
that are in the overall interest of majority of Nigerians and that will bring
the greatest good to the greatest number of our teeming population.
"Finally, for the avoidance of doubt and at the
risk of being repetitive, this administration is not considering the issue of
removal of fuel subsidy in the nearest future and certainly will not embark on
any such programme without extensive consultations and engagements across the
various segments, interests and stakeholders in the Nigerian polity."
Signed
Dr Doyin Okupe
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