Act will worsen people's health - Lagos NMA leaderThe chairman ofthe Lagos Statechapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Edamisan Temiye, has urged the Federal Government to immediately reverse its decision on the fuel subsidy removal, saying the action will worsen the health of the majority of Nigerians.'The majority of Nigerians pay for health care, but with removal of fuel subsidy, they will be further pauperised and this will worsen their health status and will ultimately affect the nation's health care system,' Temiye said in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Monday.According to him, the NMA, through its national president, Dr Idris Omede, had vehemently opposed the removal of fuel subsidy during the debate on the proposal, saying that the fact that the Federal Government went ahead to implement it had clearly shown that it had no consideration for the suffering masses.'What the government is saying is that if you like, you can die. It clearly shows that the masses don't matter to this government. It is the government for the business people only,' he added.Temiye said it was time for the masses to take their destiny in their own hands, saying the general populace now had the option of either accepting the situation or defending themselves.Reverse decision now, Ifedayo LG boss tells JonathanThe chairman,Caretaker Committee of Ifedayo Local Government area of Osun State, who is also the chairman of the Chairmen Forum in the state, Prince Adekunle Ayantoye, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, change his decision on the oil subsidy and maintain the status quo.According to the council boss, this was one of the major benefits of the people from the government, stressing that the removal would be detrimental to the generality of the people.He, however, congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the celebration of the New Year, praying that God would lift Nigeria up among the developed countries this year.Honourable Ayantoye also commended the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, on his outstanding achievements so far since his assumption of office a year ago.He said: 'In fact, Aregbesola has done marvelously well in the areas of empowerment of 20,000 youths in his first hundered days in office.'It's Jonathan's New Year package of hardship for Nigerians - ACNAs sharp criticisms continue to trail the removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), on Monday, described the development as the New Year package of hardship and callousness from President Goodluck Jonathan to the Nigerian masses.The party maintained that the removal of the subsidy, which subsequently jacked up selling price of petrol to about N145 per litre, aptly demonstrated the height of insensitivity of the government to the plight of the majority who had already been subjected to crippling poverty and inhuman condition, occasioned by the nation's sick economy.In a statement signed by the ACN national youth leader, Mr Ebikibina Miriki, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Yenagoa on Monday, the party asserted that 'when the country is yet to overcome the shock of the Christmas Day multiple bomb blasts, which resulted in the gruesome killing of innocent and defenceless individuals, it is disheartening for President Jonathan to implement such a policy at this point in time.'It is unacceptable, sad and deceptive for the presidency that recently claimed to be engaging in consultations over the controversial oil subsidy removal until April, 2012, only to make a U-turn and carry out its unpopular decision, thereby giving Nigerians a New Year package of hardship, capable of compounding their stifling conditions,' the statement stressed.A bad New Year gift - Akinade-FijabiTwenty-Four hours after President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the removal of fuel subsidy, a House of Representatives member, Honourable Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, said it was a very bad New Year gift from President Jonathan to the nation.Akinade-Fijabi, who represents Ibadan North-West/South-West constituency, while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, on Monday, said that there were other issues on ground that were supposed to be tackled before fuel subsidy removal, saying an average Nigerian could not enjoy three square meals per day.'I think what Jonathan used was executive fiat. The House was on recess, and definitely there would be inflation in the country.'The president should have asked the people what they want, not to put burden on them and I think this is a bad New Year gift.'He revealed that Nigerians still lacked food security, water, good education and good roads, adding that people were not happy about subsidy. There would be a lot of hardship and this New Year present was not good for Nigerians, according to him.'The majority of people travelling to their destinations are now stranded due to hike in fares.'This is a nation of 200 million people and we are endowed with petrol and good resources, but our problem in Nigeria is still corruption.'Now they have given opportunities to petrol stations to cheat us, but there must be way out,' Akinade-Fijabi added.He charged people to calm down and bring their grievances to the table and dialogue in a good manner.More Nigerians condemn removalWhat seems as anew year gift toNigerians by President Goodluck Jonathan is currently causing ripple effects on Nigerians, as Nigerians have to cut short the celebration to buy fuel as pump price is now selling at N141 in most parts of Lagos.Transport operators in Lagos, as usual, have increased transport fares by 100 per cent, making it difficult for the poor to move around, as the increase is beyond their expectation.As the drama continues to unfold over the sudden removal of oil subsidy, the Nigerian Tribune got the reactions of Nigerians on how the subsidy removal would affect the economy and their spending patterns.Ndubuisi Obinna, accountant, said:'My problem is that if there is anything to be done in Nigeria that will affect Nigerians, the government should let the people know on time and be given adequate information because it is their constitutional right to be told of the government policies ahead of time so that we can plan ahead, not this sudden way.'I know this increase of pump price will not work because their excuse to save money for Nigeria by removing fuel subsidy is a fallacy to continue to defraud Nigerians. The poor people will suffer more because they will not be able to meet up with what will follow with the increase. Nigerians cannot trust the government because over the years, past governments failed Nigerians and this policy will even encourage more corruption.'Vitus Ohanuka, businessman, said:'As for me, I am not comfortable with the fuel price increase, because what all past the governments in Nigeria do is to keep on increasing fuel price, which is not a good thing for a country like Nigeria which depends on fuel price to determine prices of products and services in every sector of the economy. I will advise the government to always consider the poor in their policies. I will encourage Nigerians not to worry because whether the government likes it or not, Nigerians will surely survive, even if they increase it to N400, like in South Africa, which sells fuel at N300.'Sunday Eneigbe, civil servant, said:'As for me, the idea is good but the question is, will the money that will be realised from the removal of the fuel subsidy be properly utilised' Nigerians should know that for anything to be good, the government needs to step on toes, which means that people must suffer the effect for some time before things will be right. It will be a better thing if the money from the fuel subsidy is used to improve the living standards of Nigerians, because it does not end with just making a policy but the government should watch out for the aftermaths and find a way to cushion the effect that will follow. What I am not happy about now is the continued long queues in filling stations, even when the pump price has been increased by about 120 per cent.'Najeed Sule said:'As for me, I don't like the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government. What the government should be doing at this time is protecting the poor by making policies that will alleviate the suffering of the poor, not making harsh policies that will not give hope to the poor in their country. This removal and increase in pump price will really affect the poor.It is betrayal of trust - Ekiti repA member of the House of Representatives representing Ekiti North Federal constituency 1, Mr Bimbo Daramola, has described the removal of petroleum subsidy on petroleum products by the Federal Government as a betrayal of trust.Daramola, who reacted to the development in a telephone interview, said the act was also a disregard for the constitution, pointing out that which the constitution had 'delineated responsibilities and created the legislative arm as a partner in the smooth running of the country alongside the executive.'Daramola said 'as you are aware the National Assembly is on recess. Our position on whether subsidy should be removed or not has already been presented to the president.'Normally, what should follow is a continuation of dialogue in respect of that but that, is not to be. A bird cannot fly with a wing. It needs two to do it, but in its own wisdom, the executive has decided to press ahead with the removal to prove that the parliament does not count in the scheme of governance in the country.'How do we present this to our constituents down home' How do we defend the fact that we were not a part of the latest scheme to impose on them another round of inexcusable fleecing''Removal, ill-timed, painful, say Lagos lawmakers, APBNLagos lawmakers and the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), on Monday, reacted to the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government, describing it as ill-timed and a painful pill.While the lawmakers criticised it as unsuitable for now, the APBAN called for the diversification of the country's economy to cushion the hardship, the subsidy removal would cause Nigerians.Mr Segun Olulade, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Information, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that, the removal should be differed in view of the security challenges facing the country.'The fuel subsidy removal is not suitable at this critical period when Nigeria is facing serious security challenges.''Some Nigerians are still nursing the wounds of bombings in some parts of the country; the President should take it easy with Nigerians, particularly at this celebration period.''He should not add sorrow to the joy of many Nigerian celebrating the New Year,' he said.Olulade said the old price regime should still hold sway since, according to him, the National Assembly has yet to ratify it.' Before embarking on the removal of the subsidy, necessary things should have been put in place,' the assembly man added.Another lawmaker, Mr Bolaji Yusuf (Mushin I), advised the government to address security challenges across the country.'Removing the subsidy without finding solutions to threats to lives and property may not work,' he told NAN.Yusuf condemned the violence unleashed on the country by an Islamic sect, Boko Haram, saying killing of innocent souls particularly, during a church service on Christmas Day in Mambila, Niger, is callous.He stressed: 'The government should find urgent solutions to the menace caused by Boko Haram at this period and leave the subsidy for now.'According to him, no foreign investor will stake his money where security of life and property are not guaranteed.Yusuf, however, appealed to Nigerians not to take the laws into their hands in a bid to avenge the deaths of the innocent souls.The President of APBN, Mr Segun Ajanlekoko, said the government should be proactive by putting in place measures that would alleviate the sufferings of the ordinary people.He said the action might cause inflation and increase cost of production and unemployment.'The Nigerian economy should be diversified. Agriculture should be promoted in all schools, colleges and universities, especially the faculties of agriculture.'These institutions should be given annual targets of agricultural products production based on the local agricultural climates,' Ajanlekoko said in a statement.He advised the government to engage unemployed graduates and school leavers in farming, at all tiers of government.'This will not only promote food sufficiency, but also generate revenue through food export,' he said.Transporters hike fares as petrol stations stop selling in AkureOperators of private petrol stations in Akure, the Ondo State capital, have closed their stations to motorists, following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the filling stations in Akure, on Monday, reports that NNPC filling stations, the only stations open for business, were selling petrol at N138 per litre.Motorists were buying at the new price but expressed dismay at the removal which they described as unfair.Public transport operators have also increased fares as taxi operators now charge between N40 and N80 per drop depending on the distance as against the N30 they used to charge.Motorcycle operators have also doubled their fare, NAN further reports.A taxi driver, Mr Muraina Azeez, said, he had to increase the fares in order to remain in business.The manager of one of the NNPC filling stations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was directed 'from above' to effect the change in price.A motorist at the station, Mr Emmanuel Ayodele, said he was not happy with the removal, describing the government action as suicidal, as the masses were struggling to survive.'The insincerity of governments, from the military to the present civilian administration, has not encouraged Nigerians to trust the leadership on its policies and words.''Since the removal has been done, my advice to the government is to use the proceeds of the removal to better the lot of the masses and ensure that they do not suffer.'Alhaji Kadri Murtal, a resident, remarked: 'This is hardship, where is the money to buy at this high rate' My believe is that God will hold leaders accountable for their actions.'At Nsukka, in Enugu State, many passengers who wanted to return to their stations after the Christmas and New Year celebrations were also stranded at motor parks on Monday as result of the increase in fares. Mr Raymond Izunna, a passenger, told NAN that, he was forced to cancel the journey he wanted to undertake with members of his family, due to the hike in fare. 'Before today, transport fare from Nsukka to Onitsha is N700 but I am surprised that the price is now N1,500.''Four of my family members wanted to travel back after Xmas and New Year celebrations and my budget for transport fare for the four of us is N2800. 'I have no other option than to remain in the village until I am able to get our complete transport money.' According to him, what government has done is unfair, explaining that removing the subsidy at the many people are travelling is wrong.Petrol sells at to N155 in MubiA litre of petrol now sells for N155 in Mubi Local Government Area of Adamawa, following the removal of subsidy from fuel, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), on Sunday, announced the removal of subsidy on fuel, ending speculations as to when the removal would take effect.Our correspondent, who went round some filling stations in Mubi on Monday, reports that the price of petrol had shot up by over 100 per cent.A litre of petrol now sells for N155 per litre as against former N65, while a litre of Kerosene sells for N300 per litre in the black market as against N50.NAN reports that, in spite of the increase in the price of fuel, the commodity was not available at NNPC filling stations, and in most of the stations owned by the major marketers.Some of the dealers attributed the hike in price to the removal of subsidy.Meanwhile, residents of Mubi have decried the sudden disappearance of fuel, and the hike in the prices of petroleum products a day after the removal of subsidy by the Federal Government.Alhaji Idi Soja, a resident, decried the hike, saying that it was a deliberate attempt by the marketers to exploit the ordinary man.'They should have waited for further announcement on the matter from the government before pushing up the prices,' Soja said.NAN reports that commercial motorcycle operators have also increased their charges from N20 a drop to N30.Isa Haruna, a bus driver, expressed concern that he would now spend more on fuel due to 'the sudden increase in the pump price of the commodity.''Transport fare will definitely increase in view of the increase in the price of petrol; we are awaiting directives from the National Union of Road Transport Workers before deciding on whether to increase our charges,' he said. (NURTW)Mixed reactions trails price increase in AbeokutaMixed reactionshave inAbeokuta trailed Sunday's removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.While some respondents to NAN enquiries condemned the development and its timing, others commended government's courage in separate interviews with NAN.Those commending government were appreciating its courage in taking what they described as 'steps that would move the nation forward in the long run'.For instance, 39-year-old Mr Adewale Azeez who is a civil servant said government should have made available some palliative measures to reduce the effects of the removal.He added that while he was not opposed to the decision, he was however unhappy with the timing of the action.'It is a bold and courageous effort to right the wrongs of the past, but the timing is absolutely poor and I will advise government to take a second look at it.'I will also advise it to put a lot of measures in place to neutralise the anticipated hardship,' Azeez said.Another resident of Abeokuta, Mr Ishola Olaoluwa, was of the opinion that the decision would stabilise the economy and put the country in a strong financial position.'A lot of money goes down the drain in the name of subsidy, So, government has acted like a rational economic agent by taking this step,' he said.However, Temitope Sodeke, a freelance journalist, said the action was not in the best interest of the masses, pointing out that the government must listen to those it is ruling.Fuel subsidy shocks Lagos residentsLagos residentssaid, on Monday,that the fuel subsidy removal, which raised pump price of petrol to, between N141 and N145 per litre, from its former N65 per litre, was a shock.A cross-section of the people, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the removal would cause a lot of hardships for ordinary Nigerians.A civil servant, Mr Abel Ariyo, said the sudden removal of the subsidy was like a bombshell, which had caught most Nigerians unawares.'The subsidy removal will likely cause increase in transport fares and house rent, among others,' he said.A driver with a Lagos-based transport company, Mr Hyginus Oluchukwu, described the subsidy removal as shocking, saying it will raise fares on all routes.'You know what it means if I have to buy 50 litres of fuel for N10, 000 at the black market to travel to the South-East, passengers will have to bear the cost.''A journey from Lagos to Imo which cost between N6,000 and N8,000 last week, will attract a different fare when they are returning to Lagos because of the usual problem of fuel scarcity in that area.''Imo to Lagos may cost passengers between N12, 000 and N15, 000 from today,' Oluchukwu told NAN.A trader, Mrs Olufunke Roberts, expressed fears that the cost of living might increase as a result of the raise in pump price.Roberts, who sells rice, said, the exorbitant transport fares that would be incurred would be passed on to consumers.Meanwhile, only few filling stations sold fuel to motorists on Monday, in some parts of Lagos Metropolis.NAN correspondents, who went round, reported that few stations which opened for business on Ikorodu Expressway and Apapa road, sold petrol at between N140 and N145 per litre.Long queues were also noticed at some of the stations which opened for business.Transport fare from Oshodi to Ikotun, which formerly cost between N120 and N150, now costs N250, while passengers on the Onipanu-Palmgrove-Orile/Iganmu route paid N150 as against the N100 they paid before the subsidy removal.
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