MORE knocks are coming the way of government's plans to remove fuel subsidy.The latest in the list of those opposed to the plan is the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights.In its contribution to the ongoing debate on the issue, the group noted: 'The so called subsidy is apparent and not real as it emanates from global oil price differential which is difficult to apply in an economy that does not pay its workforce in the same spirit. Government's argument for the fuel subsidy removal is not sound, convincing and clear. It smacks of an attempt to show that Nigeria does not have any other solution to any economic challenge except oil.'The Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights wishes to advice and appeal to Federal Government and its conniving state governors to rescind the plan to increase the petroleum pump price by the beginning of 2012. CCIDESOR condemns this planned increase in its entirety.'Noting that the level of Nigeria's underdevelopment could not be blamed on either low or high cost of petroleum products but rather on corruption, Executive Director of the group, Emeka Ononamadu, alleged that over $400 billon of oil revenue had been looted since independence.Corruption, he stressed,had been the biggest threat to Nigeria's democracy and development not fuel subsidy.He went on: 'This increase being proposed at this most difficult time of Nigeria's economic history will neither serve citizens nor government any good because of its catastrophic economic and social consequences which government does not have the capacity to insulate citizens from.'The President should not see the call by Nigerians as 'we versus them' before harking to the calls asking government to step down on this. The petroleum sector, which is the backbone of Nigeria's economy, is one of the most corrupt sectors in Nigeria. Government officials cannot be trusted with such a sensitive issue that has a huge effect on the lives and livelihood of Nigerians.'The president in his inaugural speech promised Nigerians that he would not disappoint them. It will be a huge disappointment to Nigerians if their call on government to stop the price increases is not accepted. Even if there is a subsidy, there is no sense in collecting it from the people only to promise to give it back to them in a different way.'He also took a swipe at the governors on the removal of the subsidy, describing their argument that it would enable them pay the minimum wage as cover to ensure that more money is available to loot, 'as the record of many past governors show that they have soiled fingers in the public coffers.
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