President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National
Economic Council (NEC) led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, to begin the
process of working on interventions to cushion the impact of subsidy removal on
Nigerians.
This is even as the independent major oil marketers have
pledged to donate no fewer than 100 high capacity buses to the federal
government for mass transit operations.
The cheering news was dropped by the Governor of Ogun State,
Dapo Abiodun, who led the representatives of some major oil marketers on a
courtesy visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on
Wednesday.
Addressing State House correspondents after the closed door
meeting, Abiodun said the marketers were in the Presidential Villa to express
solidarity with the President for his bold decision to end the subsidy regime.
He noted that Tinubu’s action showed his determination and
courage to remove the hermorage that had bedeviled the country for decades.
The governor said that while there would be some discomfort
on the part of the people, the move would eventually pay off as there can be no
gains without pain.
Also speaking at the briefing, spokesperson of the major oil
marketers, Dame Winifred Agbani said the courtesy visit was to express their
joy for the removal of fuel subsidy, adding that they have waited for too long
for the removal of subsidy on petroleum products to happen.
According to her, Nigeria has already spent in five months
over N2 trillion on subsidy and by year’s end will spend over N6.7 trillion
mark, pointing out that the country cannot sustain it anymore.
She revealed that the marketers are aware that the removal
of subsidy will hurt Nigerians in the short term but will benefit the masses in
the long run.
She therefore announced the intention of the major oil
marketers to donate 50 to 100 mass transit buses as a way to help the success
of the initiative, hoping that other well meaning corporate bodies can do the
same.
Those who came with Agbani, who is the Chairman of North
West Oil and Gas Ltd are Raymond Ogbeche of Rain Oil Limited; Chris Igwe, OFR
of Mainland Oil and Gas Ltd and Chairman of MOMAN.
Last modified: June 7, 2023