Chief Adebayo Ajayi, the former General Secretary of the Lagos State branch of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN), spoke to Gbenga Akinfenwa on the on-going controversial proposed removal of subsidy on petroleum products by the federal government.As a stakeholder in the oil sector, do you see the federal government reversing its decision on the fuel subsidy removal'I don't see any reason for government reverse its decision on the subsidy removal; I believe it must have gone to the drawing board with its team of economic and financial experts before arriving at the decision. However, what I think the government should do is to embark on elaborate public enlightenment through the mass media to explain the vision, purpose and benefits of the policy. Lack of communication with the citizenry on sensitive issues like this has always brought the federal government into conflict with the populace. I was however satisfied when I watched the Townhall Forum on television the subsidy removal whereby the Governor of Central Bank, Lamido Sanusi, Finance Minister and other prominent Nigerians spoke extensively on the issue. In actual fact, we want more than this. There should be massive campaign on the print and electronic media to educate the man in the street on the aims and objectives of the subsidy removal. This effort will remove suspicion and lack of confidence.What do you think the removal of oil subsidy imply'It simply means the deregulation of the oil industry, it happened in the communication sector, a situation that broke the monopoly of NITEL, Nigerians are today enjoying the effort, investors in the mobile telephone sector have created jobs for millions of Nigerians while the use of telephone is no longer for the elite alone, the market women, artisans and the lower cadre have access to phones. Also look at the case of the aviation industry, when the Nigeria Airways had the sole right, people scramble for tickets and seats but today after deregulation, investors moved in and air transportation became easier with lots of jobs for pilots, cabin crew and others. The same will apply to deregulation of the oil sector, investors will move in to build refineries that will not only make the market competitive but will create jobs for many youths and professionals who are presently roaming the streets. If the government removes its hand totally, the price of oil will crash just like it's happening in the communication industry presently. You will observe that when the mobile telephone began operations in the country, it was tough and expensive but when aggressive competition set in, the prices crashed, the same thing will happen in the oil industry.Advice to government and Nigerians on this issue'It is no gainsaying the fact that government has not defined its vision to make live comfortable for its citizens. The social infrastructure in the country is almost at a zero level. You can imagine the colossal amount used to dismantle the toll gates across the country and the government is again proposing another huge budget to re-erect them. The wastefulspending is at the expense of the innocent tax payers who are making sacrifices but getting nothing in return. The proceeds from the subsidy removal should be honestly channeled towards the provision of roads across the country, standard health facilities to reduce the cost of flying the privileged ones in government abroad for medical treatment. Presently, less privileged parents are paying more to give their children university education.Nigerians should give the subsidy a trial if it is eventually passed into law by the National Assembly. We must watch the government's sincerity of purpose and commitments before rejecting the policy in totality. Since the removal of subsidy can be quantified in Naira and Kobo, Nigerians should closely monitor the government's periodical report on how the proceeds are spent.IPMAN is a major stakeholder in the downstream section of the oil industry, was your association carried along and what has been the situation in Lagos IPMAN'Our National President, Alhaji Jubril Aminu with his vibrant executives was invited and they spoke IPMAN's mind at the policy forum, their inputs were communicated to branches, zones and units. We have played our role by making sure that products get to the most remote part of the country. In Lagos State, we have been operating in a conducive environment created by Governor Raji Fashola.
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