President of the Senate, has urged the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to abort the planned protests against the Federal government’s proposed removal of fuel subsidy, saying the move is totally unnecessary
Senator Ahmad Lawan made the appeal when he met with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva over the planned removal of subsidy on petroleum products by the Federal Government.
The Senate President, in his opening remarks at the meeting, faulted the timing for the planned removal of subsidy on petroleum products.
He said in as much as the administration and management of subsidy on petroleum products are flawed, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government believes that sufficient planning must be carried out before its eventual removal.
Lawan, therefore, called on Labour unions such as the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union to shelve the planned protest rallies, noting that Federal Government has no plan of removing the petroleum subsidy now.
Meanwhile in her submission the Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna, said that the Federal Government made provisions for subsidy in the 2022 budget from January to June this year.
According to her, all payments on fuel subsidy ordinarily would cease as from July, 2022.
She observed that in view of the timing which is “problematic”, Federal Government decided to suspend its plan to go ahead with the removal of subsidy on petroleum products in July, particularly against the backdrop of outcomes from ongoing consultations.
The minister said Federal Government was presently exploring alternatives to premium motor spirit as well as pushing to step-up the country’s crude oil refining capacity.
She further disclosed that efforts were underway by the Executive arm of government to forward a request to the National Assembly to make additional provision for fuel subsidy from July this year till a time deemed appropriate for its eventual removal.
Zainab Ahmed also assured that they were exploring ways through discussion with various stakeholders in the executive as well as the Civil Societies and Labour Unions to address this removal in a manner that is graduated and will have minimal impact on the citizens.
She said this would mean coming back to make further amendments on the fiscal framework as well as in the 2022 budget been passed.
Bashir Mayere