“You Should Have Removed Fuel Subsidy In Phases” – Catholic Bishops To President Tinubu

By Ayodele Oni

Catholic Bishops of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province (KEP) have observed that hasty removal of subsidy on petrol by President Bola Tinubu is the cause of the current hardship in the country.

The religious leaders appealed to the president to consider reversing the action which has plunged Nigerians into economy crisis, stressing that policy reversal is not a sign of weakness but depicts responsible leadership.

They made the remarks during the Second Plenary of the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Provincial Bishops’ session on Tuesday in Kaduna.

KEP Chairman Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso who spoke on behalf of the clerics, said “we have been with subsidy for the past 25 years and we all knew it was eating deep into the finances of the nation.

“Definitely it had to go, but the hasty manner in which the president announced the removal had a lot of implications on the psychology and economic well being of the people.

“People would have been given notice, for instance subsidy will be removed by 25% in the next 6 months, so he could remove the subsidy in phases along side provision of palliatives and others.

“It’s about the people even if the president spends 10 years removing subsidy in phases without inflicting severe hardship on the people that will be better”

They called on the President not to listen to those that see the nationwide protests as an affront to his government.

According to the Catholic Bishops “the President should, by appointments, find a way of bringing in competent Nigerians across party lines to help further national cohesion.

“We propose that he decongest the Presidential fleet, suspend or rethink the idea of purchasing a new plane for himself, and continue to tighten the belt on public expenditure.

“Looking inward, we encourage the president to liaise with local industrialists to widen the net for employment and self-sufficiency.

“In the medium and long term, the President should ban the use of foreign cars by all public officers.

“These policies can inspire confidence in our people. Rather than hiring non- state actors to pacify people, politicians must engage their people directly.

“We encourage the President to focus on the ideals of Democracy by building consensus, rather than the temptation to search for enemies.

‘Having come from a tradition of protest, the President should appreciate that these protests do not undermine a country. However, leaders of faith communities and civil society must also sharpen their tools and capacity for advocacy.

“The value of protests is in direct proportion to the quality of the social fabric of a given society. When we have a social fabric weakened by illiteracy, poverty and corruption, these protests can provide a cure that is worse than the disease.

“So, we must seek other options for engaging the government as the need arises.”