Subsidy: Government tasked to overhaul supply chain
Reactions have continued to Mount on the sudden removal of petroleum subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s regime which led to over 200% increase in Premium Motor Spirit ( Petrol ) pump price from the official rate of N185 per litre to N500 .
Recall that President Tinubu during his inuagural speech on May 29, 2023, said that the era of petroleum subsidy is gone, Immediately his speech dropped, filling stations across the country hiked their pump prices per litre from N185 to N500.
Speaking on the subsidy removal, Barr. Tony Dania A Right Activist and Maritime Consultant on Channels Television Morning show ‘ Sunrise Daily” programme on Saturday with the theme: Subsidy Removal, Counting the Costs: berated the Federal government under President Tinubu for not taking some steps to overhaul the petroleum supply chain to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians before removing the Subsidy.
According to Barr. Dania “We ought to have taken certain steps, there is no way we can take all the steps. Steps to overhaul the petroleum subsidy supply chain by removing all the bottlenecks. We have Customs, apart from collecting official revenue, they are collecting unofficial too, Navy the same thing, NPA, NIMASA is there. Remove all these bottlenecks and you will be serving not less than N80b from landing cost of PMS ” he said.
He urged the Government to liberalize the PMS import chain so that other actors can come in.
When asked if he is in support of the last administration’s request to borrow $800million, Dania said, “I’m not in support just like I was not in support of collecting billions to pay judgement debts, when the government is continuously in existence.
“In the past the refineries were working and that puts less pressure on our financial system. But now the refineries are not working, despite so much money invested in them”.
He commended the Tinubu Government for promising to unify the exchange rate , that it will help marketers to source for their funds. He also question why the product cannot be paid in Naira.
Barr. Dania who enhanced peace and unity in his town, in Etsako West, Edo State, of which the King, HRM Alhaji Aliu Kelvin Danesi, appreciated him with the title: OKWEOGBE OF SOUTH IBIE KINGDOM said he wish the government of President will address the sufferings of the masses by implementing public oriented policies as he has promised Hope renewal for Nigerians