Removal Of Fuel Will Breed Criminals, Say Clerics

THE Proposed petrol subsidy removal by the Federal Government has been described as a political suicide if it eventually succeeds.The president of Omega Power Ministry (OPM), Apostle Chibuozo Chinyere, who stated this in Port Harcourt yesterday, stressed that subsidy removal would negatively affect the masses.While expressing displeasure over non-performance of the nation's refineries, Chinyere also decried government inability to build new ones.He pointed out that foreign investors are willing to come and build refineries in the country and have indicated interest buthave not received the licence to do so.The Clergy argued that the nation's refineries must be functional and other issues in the oil sector addressed to ensure sanity before government begins to talk about subsidy removal.'The removal of petrol subsidy will hit the poor directly, if it happens; what will the barbing salon operator do, what will the artisans do and even the small scale industries; of course if they cannot afford to buy fuel, they may indulge in criminal activities which will worsen the situation, so government should note,' chinyere observed.Similarly, President of the Men Ablaze Fellowship of the Redemption Ministry, Basil Sunday, described the poverty level in the country as very worrisome considering that the nation is blessed with enormous resources.He added that the subsidy removal would further increase the sufferings of the masses and even lead some people to early grave.According to him, 'Nigerians are tired, most Nigerians have given up; poverty rate in this country is alarming yet government is talking about subsidy removal, the removal will worsen the situation'.While noting that bad governance was responsible for the woes in the country, Sunday said only the knowledge of Christ and fear of God would help bring the desired change.He disclosed that the annual programme by the church tagged' Suya Night,' is aimed at drawing people closer to God, expressing the hope that the event would transform the people's live.
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