AS the Federal Government intensifies last-minute efforts to convince a skeptical public on the wisdom of removing what it has described as the 'inefficient' subsi dy on petrol, more frantic explanations were given last week as to why government should end the subsidy regime.Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke promised that the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment (SURE) programme would create a platform for the proceeds of subsidy removal to be channeled into projects and services that would beneficial to the people of the country. She listed the projects that would be implemented from subsidy removal proceeds to include; the Second Niger Bridge, the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja Dual Carriageway, the Benin-Ore-Sagamu highway, Kano-Maiduguri highway, and the construction of the Oweto Bridge, among others.On his own part, the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi linked the removal of subsidy to the war against corruption. The CBN governor's thesis was that the scheme had bred so much corruption, which has, in turn, resulted in the nation's economy being mercilessly hemorrhaged by a few unpatriotic elements. Sanusi however, expressed the view that removal of subsidy is not a 'silver bullet' that would resolve the country's entrenched economic woes. He however pointed out that the end of the subsidy regime was just one of the issues that would test how the country and its democracy would work in the future.Sanusi said: 'Corruption thrives on rent seeking, removal of subsidy will bring an end to rent seeking.'In his submission, Oshiomhole, while insisting that he remains on the side of the people, said President Jonathan was faced with a very difficult decision to make. He concluded that the government should move in the direction, which it was planning to move, as that was in the overall interest of the people. The Edo helmsman however warned that the Federal Government must move quickly to win the confidence of Nigerians by ensuring that those responsible for the present comatose state of the nation's refineries, after fleecing the government of huge sums of monies, were brought to book.Chairman of Silver Group, Ben Murray Bruce, called for the setting aside of a fund to cushion the effects of subsidy removal on the transport sector, just as he pointed out that the transport sector was the point where the ordinary Nigerian would be most affected by the removal of subsidy.Below are some of the projects that the government has listed would be implemented using the proceeds from the fuel subsidy removal.' Maternal and child health services: According to the government, the specific objective of this component is to increase the utilisation of maternal and child health services by the rural population through both demand and supply sides intervention. The Jonathan administration reckons that this intervention will save the lives of millions of mothers and children in Nigeria, thereby improving Nigeria's current abysmally low human development indices of maternal and child morbidity and mortality.' Public works/women and youths employment programme: Government says its objective with this programme is to provide temporary employment to youths in labour intensive public works, noting that this objective is consistent with the priority of the government to tackle youth unemployment, while improving the livelihoods of youths. The public works programmes will, according to the government, include such projects as flood and erosion control works, waste disposal and sanitation projects, tree planting, rehabilitation and maintenance of educational facilities, and the rehabilitation and maintenance of health facilities.'Urban mass transit scheme: Government says its main objective with this scheme is to increase mass transit availability in order to alleviate the transport challenges of Nigerians. The project will involve the provision of zero interest loans to established transport operators for the procurement of vehicles. Road infrastructure projects: Here, government says it would focus on the completion of core road projects that will enhance transportation of passengers and goods in the country. The roads that are to be completed under this programme will cover a total distance of 1,326km. The listed roads include the East-West Road with a distance of 338km.Other projects listed include; rail transport projects totaling 3,877 km, water and agriculture projects, irrigation, urban water supply, hydro power, petroleum/NNPC and ICT projects.
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