FG LACKS THE GUTS TO ELIMINATE FUEL SUBSIDIES - PETROAN

According to the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, the current administration lacks the desire to eliminate fuel subsidies.

PETROAN, which favors the elimination of fuel subsidies, argues that doing so will address the country's fuel scarcity.

In an interview with DAILY POST, Rivers State Chairman of PETROAN, Francis Dimkpa, stated that the refineries may not be operational till the fuel subsidy is eliminated.

He claimed that some people are disproportionately benefiting from the fuel subsidies.

"The removal of fuel subsidy is going to solve the perennial problem of fuel scarcity in this country. We're still saying that the subsidy has to be removed.

"The paparazzi by the Federal Government in the removal of subsidy is in their own interest. You say you will remove the subsidy and 24 hours after, you say what you are doing is expanding the committee for the removal of the subsidy. We don't understand.

"All we know is that the present government does not have the willpower to remove subsidies and the incoming government is part of the current government. In fact, we don't know where we are heading to.

"It is true that Labour is saying that before the removal of subsidy, the refineries have to be working. And I told us last year that if we have to wait for the refineries to work, the subsidy may not be removed, because there are people in this country that are feeding fat on this subsidy regime.

"So, the best thing you can do is to stop them from feeding on the subsidy and they will have no option other than to fix them. It will take us a hard time of maybe one or two months and everything will normalize, PMS will normalize," he said.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians are opposed to the elimination of fuel subsidies.

According to an anonymous cross-section of residents, the money now spent on subsidy may be embezzled, but Nigerians can experience a minor impact of the subsidy.

They expressed concern about what politicians will do with the subsidy money.

Another said, "It is better they are syphoning money and we are feeling the impact of the subsidy in the price of petrol we buy. Until we have a trustworthy government that is willing to do something right for the people, the subsidy should remain."

Another resident, "The problem is not to remove it, but even if you remove it, where will you channel that money to? And, if you remove the subsidy, the prices of fuel and other products will become so high."

One respondent said, "They should not remove the subsidy, there's no trust for this government with the removal of subsidy."