Fuel subsidy removal good policy, bad timing, says Aniebonam

…. urges FG to engage Nigerians

The Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has described the pronouncement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the removal of fuel subsidy as good but ill-timed.

In his inaugural address last week Monday, President Tinubu had declared an end to the era of subsidy payment, stating that the 2023 budget did not provide for fuel subsidy and therefore was no longer sustainable.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos on Friday, Aniebonam, who is also the founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) hailed Tinubu for having the courage to remove the fuel subsidy but noted that the pronouncement was rather too hasty.

He said though there was a consensus among the presidential candidates to remove fuel subsidy but considering the implications the policy would have on the already fragile economy with a ripple effect on the welfare of the people, he would have preferred the President first tackled the corruption component of subsidy.

He said, “I think the President is very courageous to have removed the subsidy because leadership is about being courageous. It is better for someone to make a wrong decision than not making a decision at all.

“All the presidential candidates, from Peter Obi of the Labour Party; Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party to Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party and even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All-Progressives Congress, during their various campaigns promised to remove the fuel subsidy and that the money that comes from the removal will be used for other things that will benefit the people. So, there was a consensus on that. But the only thing that people are talking about is the timing and of course the hasty nature with which it was done.

“Because of the general problem in the economy and the ripple effect the subsidy removal will have on the people, I would have preferred the President to tackle the corruption angle of the subsidy because it is obvious there is corruption in the subsidy regime. If you attack that corruption, we can then move on and then begin to look at the possible solution.”

Aniebonam urged the government to engage in genuine dialogue with the citizens, organized labour and other stakeholders over the fuel subsidy removal to seek for their cooperation so as to reach a fair and reasonable solution.

“I can see that Mr. President has started consultation which is the right step in the right direction. There is an urgent need for the government to engage the people and explain the situation to them.

“I have noticed that there is a very big gap between the government and the people. What this government needs to do now is to deploy its media arsenal. Tell the people what you are doing, where you are having challenges. Let them know that at a particular time, the problem will be resolved.

“Once they have hope, half of the problem is solved. But, when you don’t engage the people, then you are creating room for mischief makers on social media to push out false narratives. Government must learn to take advantage of these platforms to engage the people and carry them along.

“Using this subsidy issue as example, they could come out and say, look at the amount of money we are using on subsidy, but this is what we want to do with the money now, that way, the people will be able to know what the government is doing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aniebonam, has congratulated all the elected officials of the NNPP in the last general elections stating that the journey for a new Nigeria has started.

He also expressed appreciation to all those who supported the party in the last elections urging those who are yet to join the party to do so.

Anebonam said NNPP is not an opposition party to any political party in Nigeria but a responsible partner towards the unity of the country and the common good of its citizens.

“NNPP is not an opposition party in the context we use it in Nigeria. Opposition should be about constructive engagement and not that anything the government does is wrong and must be criticised. NNPP is rather a responsible partner in the overall interest of the Nigerian project,” he said.

Aniebonam who expressed dissatisfaction in the last general elections following electoral irregularities that accompanied the elections said the party will allow the judiciary to decide on various ongoing litigations at the tribunal.

.