Remove Fuel Subsidy Now, Aliyu Tells FG

Aisha wakaso in Minna 

Niger State governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has said the
solution to the frequent fuel crisis facing the country is the total
removal of subsidy from petroleum products by the federal
government.
According to Aliyu who proffered this solution when he inaugurated
a three-star hotel constructed jointly by the Niger State
Development Company Limited (NSDC) and the State Sure-P in
Minna on Tuesday, said the removal of fuel subsidy would ensure
that the activities of mafias in the oil business are stopped, while
also guaranteeing regular supply of the products in all parts of the
country.
The subsidy on petrol Aliyu argued, is currently being enjoyed by
only a section of the society that has the necessary connection to
be importers of the commodity.
“Unless fuel subsidy is removed and we go back to the real market,
we will continue to have the type of problem facing the country at
the moment.
“Is it not an irony that we sell crude oil and we end up buying
refined petroleum from the international market,” Aliyu asked.
He also suggested the regionalisation of the distribution of power,
instead of making all parts of the country remain on the national
grid.
Aliyu said it was an irony that states that had the resources to
construct power plants are being asked to plough the energy
generated to the national grid from where they eventually got less
than the mega watts they have generated to be shared in their state.
The governor said lack of electricity in all parts of the country has
affected the economic and social life of the people, adding that “we
must begin to consider regionalising the energy sector to encourage
the growth of the economy”.
He used the event to express appreciation to the people of the state
for supporting the administration and maintaining peace which he
said has been responsible for the achievements the government
recorded in the last eight years.
He sued for continued peace in the state which he said is essential
for development, adding that because of the peace in the state in the
last eight years, the “capital has expanded beyond the scope of
urban development because people come to areas where there is
peace”.
The Director General of the state Sure-P board, Alhaji Hassan Nuhu,
in his address, said the 50-bed three-star hotel was constructed at
over N620m and had been given to a private firm to manage for five
years.