Senator Shehu Sani, Senate committee chairman on foreign and domestic debt, has said that the federal government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy and increase the petrol pump price by 60% is insensitive and punitive.
Sani, who is a former human rights activist and senator from Kaduna State says “it’s most unfortunate that at a time when poor Nigerians are facing enormous economic hardships and are being asked to be more patient, all that NNPC can do is to add to their suffering”.
President Muhammadu Buhari removed fuel subsidy on Wednesday, May 10, 2016. This information was communicated to Nigerians by Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state of petroleum in a press statement attempting to justify the decision which, traditionally, bring more hardship on Nigerians.
“It’s utterly irrational and illogical to further impoverish the people in order to achieve self-serving liberal economic aspirations,” the outspoken senator said.
“It’s all evidence that capitalist forces are holding the federal government hostage and are blackmailing it to implement its inimical version of economic reforms.
“It makes no sense if everyone must perish in order to revamp the economy.
“Economic reforms are necessary, but it must be done with a human face and human heart if it’s made in the interest of human beings.
“Outrageous increase in pump price is a social provocation. It’s possible to reform the oil sector without necessarily incinerating the country. We must not take the patience, the sacrifice and the goodwill of Nigerians for granted.
“I stand opposed to the increase in pump price and I call on PMB to weigh in on the NNPC to rescind the decision,” the senator concluded.
