4th January, 2012
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has lamented the New Year day removal of fuel subsidy by the President Goodluck Jonathan led-administration, saying it would further worsen the poverty level of the citizens of the country.
The announcement had forced the pump price of premium motor spirit, PMS, known as petrol, to sell for between N141 and N180 per litre.
Ikuforiji described the action as “very hasty” and would make life unbearable for the people.
According to the Speaker, “since the presidency had earlier been assuring Nigerians that the subsidy removal would not take off yet, it is wrong to have carried out the implementation of the policy in a commando way on the very first day of the year when Nigerians least expected that such an action was about being taken.”
The Speaker called it an unfair ambush on Nigerians, “our electorate, who expect us to better their lives and reduce their pains. Our people do not deserve this pain at this time.”
He added that “the fact of the matter is that enough consultation on the issue was not carried out by the Federal Government. As we all know, the two chambers of the National Assembly were yet to decide on the very sensitive issue.”
Ikuforiji stated that as a fuel producing nation, it is very sad and worrisome that Nigeria still imports refined petroleum.
“The PDP-led Federal Government ought to have ensured that Nigeria becomes self- sufficient in local refining of all petrol product since 1999.
“What our Federal Government ought to have done since 1999 is the building of refineries to locally refine crude oil rather than export our crude, only for us to go abroad to import refined petrol from those who do buy our crude from us so cheaply.
“The removal of petroleum subsidy at this time is not only bad but very unfortunate,” the Speaker said.