Fuel subsidy: Nigerians should give Tinubu a chance, says CAN

According to neighbouring countries, smugglers are the primary recipients of subsidies.
Says workers should focus efforts on making the best use of fuel subsidy savings
Olokor, Abuja, on Friday

The Christian Association of Nigeria urged Nigerians on Thursday to be patient with President Bola Tinubu and give him time to turn the country around.

The group praised Tinubu for acting quickly to prevent the strike that the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress had threatened to call in protest of the elimination of fuel subsidies.

The CAN informed the NLC and TUC that if there was ever a need for a call to action, it should be for the responsible and sensible use of the money that would have otherwise been used to subsidise petrol.

The problems were brought up at a news conference in Abuja by Methodist Bishop of the Ikeja Diocese and Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of CAN, Stephen Adegbite.

The fuel subsidy, which he called “a misadventure favouring the rich and politically connected,” got worse, he claimed, when neighbours in the vicinity and smugglers began reaping lavish rewards at the expense of the populace.

He praised Tinubu’s decision to invite the heads of the NLC and TUC for a secret meeting that led to a truce and put a stop to the widespread protest.

The President’s move, according to him, demonstrated that he is a leader who listens and is concerned with achieving goals that are in the best interests of the country.

In order to fix Nigeria once and for all, Adegbite pleaded for Nigerians to give the President a chance.

“Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s new administration assumed office on May 29, 2023, I have closely observed the socioeconomic events in our nation,” he declared.

“The President had, upon taking office, made his now-famous ‘fuel subsidy is gone’ proclamation in his inauguration speech, and since then, fuel prices have twice increased in line with the demands of the market.

“Most Nigerians agreed that the action he took was one that was necessary. It became more and more clear that the subsidy system was not helping the people it was intended to help.

Following Tinubu’s involvement, the NLC confirms the strike has been suspended.
The truth is that the gasoline subsidy misadventure was profitable for the wealthy, the politically connected, and even worse, our regional neighbours and smugglers who had luxurious returns at the expense of the populace.

“Basically, neither the primary nor secondary beneficiaries of the subsidy were the masses who were intended to benefit from it, but the saddest thing is that the populace has been duped into thinking that the subsidy fraud was in their interest.

In light of this, I applaud President Tinubu for calling for follow-up talks with the leaders of the NLC and TUC after organised labour decided to hold protest marches in spite of his statewide broadcast.

Adegbite claimed that Tinubu is a president who listens and who has clarified issues for the NLC and TUC leaders.

“I find it reassuring,” he said, “that he utilised the occasion to provide clarity on a number of things labour leaders believed were not plain enough.

This, in my opinion, proves that our President is attentive and concerned with achieving goals that are in the interest of the country.

Adegbite stated that labour brought up the refineries in its criticism of President Tinubu’s recent nationwide broadcast and that its leaders had heard that the Port Harcourt refineries will be operational by December 2023.

He stated that the NLC should be aware that all four of the nation’s refineries were being renovated as part of a deal made by the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari with various timetables.

Adegbite stated, “So it is obvious that there is a plan in place to assure local petroleum refining. The decision by labour to halt its protest marches is encouraging.

“So my advice to NLC and TUC is that if there is a need for a call to action, it should be for the sensible and responsible use of the funds that would have otherwise been used to subsidise fuel,”

The state CAN chairman stated, “We can’t be moaning about a lack of social infrastructure and facilities, as well as poor wages for civil officials, while at the same time being hostile to measures to improve the quality and availability of same.”