THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to embark on a grass-roots campaign to galvanise support for the move by the Federal Government to remove petroleum subsidy as the party believes that the existence of the subsidy is no longer sustainable.The acting national chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, along with members of the PDP's National Working Committee (NWC), addressed a press conference in Abuja on Thursday specifically dedicated to the ongoing debate by Nigerians on the fuel subsidy and concluded that it was time to remove it so that Nigerians could enjoy the benefits of the petroleum industry.He observed that there was the need to put politics aside and direct creative energies towards the revival of the nation's economy.Baraje said that the removal of the subsidy would enable the Federal Government to channel more money into the development of basic infrastructure and improve the standard of life of the common man.He said: 'The truth of the matter is that Nigerians are well aware that the Federal Government is deeply committed to tackling decaying infrastructure, provision of jobs to our teeming youths, stimulation of investments in critical sectors and provision of security. Unfortunately, Nigeria depends on oil export earnings to run the economy.'In effect, Nigerians are more concerned with the improvement of infrastructure. They want their roads safe and motorable; they want quality education for their children; they want to see affordable and efficient health care delivery systems; they want security of life and property; they also want a guaranteed supply of petroleum products at affordable cost.'These are achievable only if resources are harnessed to finance these major developmental programmes. In other words, all these programmes can only be accomplished when government channels hard-earned resources towards the improvement of services in these sectors instead of fritting them away through leakages, and misappropriation of funds,' Baraje said.The party boss added that, 'it is now time for all Nigerians to fully enjoy the benefits of the petroleum industry. The era when we used our collective wealth to fund the greed of a few middlemen is over. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy. We cannot continue to gloss over a problem that poses imminent danger to our economic progress.'The Peoples Democratic Party fully supports the patriotic determination of the Federal Government to deregulate the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. We are also encouraged by Mr President's decision to constitute a committee of reputable Nigerians to advise on the management of the income that will accrue from the removal of subsidy for the overall benefit of all Nigerians,' he noted.Baraje stressed the need to speed up closer collaboration between the public and the private sector in harnessing the vast potential in the refining and the distribution of petroleum products, saying, 'it has therefore become imperative to consummate the process of deregulation which was started a long time ago.'He observed that, 'the reality is that, without the deregulation of the downstream sector of petroleum industry, the private sector is unlikely to invest in this vital sector and thereby bring more value added to the Nigerian economy.'Baraje called on Nigerians to rise up and support the 'patriotic mission to rescue our economy from the hands of profiteers,' pointing out that PDP was not unmindful of the temporary discomfort this policy reform might cause.'We, however, want to assure all Nigerians that the government is currently discussing with all interest groups, including the labour movement and principal stakeholders in the oil industry to come up with measures to lighten the impact on the ordinary Nigerian,' Baraje remarked.
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