PRESS RELEASE
Conscience Nigeria, a leading light of civil society organization in Nigeria with the cardinal objective of promoting good governance, rule of law and democracy in Nigeria has asked the new APC Government to rethink its plan for complete removal of fuel subsidy.
In a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Conscience Nigeria observed that there were “subtle plans by the new APC led government and its paid goons who sabotaged the free flow of distribution of petroleum products to major cities of the country as a prelude to total removal/deregulation of the oil sector by the new APC led government.”
“What has changed since the last removal by former President Goodluck Jonathan that caused the OCCUPY NIGERIA to shut down the nation?”, the group asked in its press statement.
According to Conscience Nigeria,
Our prayers:
· We call on the new President not to be in a hurry to inflict hardship on Nigerians through the total removal of subsidy because fuel will now sell at over N350 naira per liter and the masses will be at the receiving end.
· We call on Mr President to immediately commence building of several Coastal refineries that are cost effective and not too bogus and will be deliver to Nigerians in good timing.
· Mr President should commence with immediate effect the Turn Arround Maintenance of our refineries
· Mr President should equally diversify our economy through the rejuvenation of Ajaokuta steel company that will create millions of jobs and not focus on cosmetics job creation we have seen in the past where young able bodies were employed to be sweeping street or ride keke napep.
· We appeal to Mr President to review 2015 budget and refocus it to dedicate 40% of it to job creation for young people that made the change possible because the unemployment situation is a time bomb waiting to explode
· If the subsidy is removed without this identified issues fixed, then we will not hesitate to mobilize Nigerians against this unpopular policy that will definitely bring hardship to Nigerian masses.
The statement was signed by Comrade Tosin Adeyanju.
