My Government Not Responsible For Fuel Subsidy Removal  – Tinubu; Governors Go Tough On Marketers

By Ayodele Oni

President Bola Tinubu’s Media Centre has explained the announcement of the removal of the fuel subsidy during Monday’s inauguration.  It said that Tinubu’s Governor is not responsible for the removal of fuel subsidy.

The Centre, in a statement, urged the public to relax panic-buying that has ensued as a result of his speech.

The statement explained the issue is neither a new development, nor an action of his new administration.

The Tweet reads, “The public is advised to note that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration that “subsidy is gone” is neither a new development nor an action of his new administration.

“He was merely communicating the status quo, considering that the previous administration’s budget for fuel subsidy was planned and approved to last for only the first half of the year.

“Effectively, this means that by the end of June, the Federal Government will be without funds to continue the subsidy regime, translating to its termination.

“The panic-buying that has ensued as a result of the communication is needless; it will not take immediate effect.

“Furthermore, President Tinubu was clear about his plans to re-channel the funds previously devoted to the payment of subsidies into better investments that will cushion the effects of the removal on the general public, especially the poor of the poor.

“This includes, but is not limited, to investments in public infrastructure, education, healthcare and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions of Nigerians and increase their earning potential.”

Early this month the immediate past administration of Mohammadu Buhari has told the nation that the issue of oil subsidy removal has been left for incoming administration to handle.

The statement was seen then as just an escape route for the past administration to escape the wrath of the organized Labour.

Meanwhile State Governors have resorted to drastic measures against fuel marketers that are hoarding products or selling above the official pump price as Nigerians again groan over artificial shortage.

Immediately after Tinubu’s inaugural address on Monday during which he announced position of his administration on subsidy, queue returned to filling stations as dealers hoard petroleum products.

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has cautioned filling stations and marketers in the state against hoarding of petroleum product following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inaugural speech on Monday.

The Governor urged the marketers to await further directives on the implementation of the planned subsidy removal by the Federal Government and avoid actions that are capable of inflicting hardship on the citizens.

In Kwara state, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman and State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has cautioned oil marketers to avoid imposing needless hardship on the citizens through creation of artificial fuel scarcity in the state and beyond.

“The Governor is seriously concerned about reports of sudden fuel scarcity in different parts of the state. This is totally uncalled for.

“He asks fuel marketers to immediately discharge fuel to the public under the normal pricing system since they had bought what they currently have at subsidised rates.”

A Government House statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye and made available to newsmen in Ilorin Tuesday morning states that “Creating artificial scarcity amounts to intentional misrepresentation of the statement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on the question of fuel subsidy. The people should not be made to undergo any hardship.”

Also in Osun State, government has issued a stern warning to petroleum marketers, declaring that any filling station in the state caught hoarding fuel shall be sealed off.

The Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration also said operators of any of such filling stations found guilty of hoarding fuel shall be prosecuted for crime of economic sabotage.

The State Government issued the warning against the backdrop of deliberate hoarding of the product by some unscrupulous marketers.

As contained in a release by the spokesperson to the Governor, Olawale Rasheed, the state government was not unaware of plots by some marketers to cause artificial fuel scarcity in the State.