ACN restates opposition to fuel subsidy removal

THE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has re-stated its opposition to the Federal Government's plans to remove fuel subsidy, arguing that 'the pains that the action will inflict on Nigerians who are already reeling from the effects of bad governance will far outstrip whatever 'gains' will accrue therein.'In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the 'clarification of its stand on the issue becomes necessary in view of the insinuation by the government's propaganda machinery that it had secured the support of 40 politicalparties for the subsidy removal.'Also, an Islamic group, Nasrul-Lahi-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) has called on the Federal Government to exercise restraint on the planned removal of oil subsidy.The group, which held a retreat in Osogbo, Osun State said the government should make the interest of the citizenry its top priority agenda and not to allow external forces to dictate the direction of its economic policy.National Vice President of the association, Tiamiyu Bodunde, noted that President Goodluck Jonathan should consider the aggregate opinion of Nigerians before taking a decision on the contentious issue of fuel subsidy removal.The NASFAT leader spoke at a pre-session to the retreat.Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, haslauded members of the Abia State House of Assembly for supporting the fuel subsidy removal and stressed that the policy had more benefits than drawbacks.Wogu also assured that the Federal Government was on top of the security situation in the country and thatNigerianswould be safer and better in the coming months in view of thenew approach to addressingcurrent security threats.The minister spoke with reporters in Aba Monday.Mohammed wrote: 'The government should state the 40 political parties it met on this issue. By the Grace of God, our party is the largest opposition party in the country today. We have not expressed support for the removal of fuel subsidy.'We remain on the side of the people. We feel their pulse and their pains. We believe the removal of fuel subsidy is a great misadventure, and have conveyed our stand on the issue in a letter to the President, though we never got a response.
Click here to read full news..