NAS/PC in a statement, “Petrol Subsidy Removal must address the plight of poor Nigerians” signed by the NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje made reference to Tinubu’s speech on June 12 asking for Nigerians to make sacrifices, stating that it was time for the President and the political class to also make sacrifices on behalf of Nigerians.
The National Association of Seadogs, Pyrates Confraternity (NAS/PC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to lead the political class to make sacrifices and cut the cost of governance as part of efforts to save funds and ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians after the removal of petrol subsidy.
NAS/PC in a statement, “Petrol Subsidy Removal must address the plight of poor Nigerians” signed by the NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje made reference to Tinubu’s speech on June 12 asking for Nigerians to make sacrifices, stating that it was time for the President and the political class to also make sacrifices on behalf of Nigerians.
Owoaje while admitting that the economic reasons for the removal of petrol subsidy were compelling because the President Tinubu’s administration inherited an “economy in dire straits and appalling macroeconomic indices” however pointed out that poor Nigerians had been at the receiving end of the petrol subsidy removal with the attendant inflation.
He conceded that it was reprehensible that Nigeria, the biggest producer of oil in Africa, is importing refined petroleum products for local consumption adding that a combination of ineptitude, and corruption enthroned by the political elite and successive administrations in Nigeria had condoned the total collapse of the four refineries in the country paving the way for the importation of petrol to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians.
Owoaje who reeled out figures from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) listing huge funds spent on subsidy, noted that democracy is about the people and their welfare, and implore President Tinubu administration to make the petrol subsidy removal count for Nigerians.
He knocked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, over the recent appointment of 30 aides stressing that political office holders should rethink their lavish spending.
The statement read in part, “The President Bola Tinubu administration must be bold to block several leakages in the financial system of the government. Underpinning the trust deficit of citizens in government policies and programmes and its abysmal failure is pervasive corruption. It is not enough to remove petrol subsidy but concerted efforts must be put in place to ensure that monies saved are not stolen again, as it was in the past.
“Under his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari who rode to office on the wings of an anti-corruption champion, corruption flourished as his administration failed spectacularly to combat it. On Buhari’s watch, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) looted funds meant for developmental projects. In 2021, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC) disclosed that MDAs ‘padded’ the budget to the tune of N300 billion. President Bola Tinubu must demonstrate the political will to tame corruption.
“The recent arrest of suspended governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele and Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrashed Bawa must not be a flash in the pan. He must go the whole hog to tame corruption.
”President Bola Tinubu must continue with the drastic reforms in the operations of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited. While the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act had seen the national oil company change nomenclature, its operations are anything but transparent. Nigerians need to know all the numbers and transaction details about petrol import and the volume. The opaque system that has been in operation for decades in the NNPC must be dismantled.
“Nigerians desired to see more reforms in the downstream sector for it to attract the desired foreign investment. Closely linked to the drastic reforms in the oil sector is a genuine and holistic rehabilitation of our refineries. The President Bola Tinubu administration must take a definite stand on retaining ownership of the refineries to promote efficiency. The country cannot continue to waste funds to repair refineries that have been designed not to work.”