Nigerians react to federal govt intention to eliminate fuel subsidy

Nigerians in Osun State have begun to respond to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s announcement last week that petroleum products would no longer be subsidised.

Last week, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government announced that the subsidy would be phased off, promising to replace it with a monthly payment of N5,000 in transit allowance to 40 million poor Nigerians.

Subsidies will be phased off starting in 2022, according to the federal government.

Afolabi Isaac, a social analyst, said the timing of the subsidy reduction was incorrect, and that granting impoverished Nigerians N5,000 in these difficult times was an attempt to buy their silence.

If the federal government went ahead and implemented it, civil society organizations would reject it, prompting a call for civil disobedience, according to Afolabi.

He claimed that the situation was not dire and that the government was unconcerned about the misery of Nigerians who elected them.

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Another resident, Falade Emmanuel, noted that as a civil servant, the impact on his pay is what concerns him the most.

Falade expressed concern that Nigerians who do not care about the country might take advantage of the gesture, resulting in a slew of overnight millionaires.

He urged the government to keep the people informed and turn the donation into a social program, adding that it should be managed by a trustworthy individual.

He voiced concern that the transportation money could be used to reward political appointees’ friends and cronies.

Hephzibah Olanipekun, a dealer, stated that the federal government’s decision will have an impact on her business.

She explained that because her company requires her to go to locations where she buys products and resells them in Osogbo, her transportation costs will rise.

She added that if the cost of transportation rises, the cost of goods and services may rise as well.

While she acknowledged that the monthly transportation allowance may make a difference, she emphasized that residents like her should be able to take advantage of it without difficulty.

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The Nigerian Senate, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) have all expressed opposition to the subsidy elimination, with both the TUC and the NLC threatening to sue the federal government.

While the Senate stated that such a gift was not included in the budget for 2022, the TUC expressed surprise that the government could come up with such a concept while negotiations on subsidy reduction between the government and the Labour movement were still ongoing.

The development, according to the Nigerian Labour Congress, is an open invitation for unrest and revolution.