CHRICED Flays Sneaky Return of Petrol Subsidy Payment

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Segun James in Lagos

Following media reports that the federal government had surreptitiously resumed the payment of subsidy of petrol since August 2023, Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), has said it was difficult to understand why Bola Tinubu’s administration was taking a contradictory stance.

Its Executive Director, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, in a statement issued yesterday, said if the reports, which the government was yet to deny were accurate, it was evident that the citizens had again been deceived and duped.

It noted that the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) records, according to media reports, indicated that the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) paid a subsidy of N169.4 billion in August.

It emphasised that despite professing for several weeks that it made a courageous and bold decision to end the subsidy regime, it was now evident that the government had reinstated the scheme in a manner that is opaque and lacks transparency.

The group stated: “The CHRICED is surprised by recent wide reports across credible news platforms to the effect that the federal government has since August 2023, surreptitiously resumed the payment of subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS).

“Regrettably, the price of PMS will not return to what it was before May 29th even with the reinstatement of subsidy payments. Given that Nigerians have suffered greatly due to the government’s lack of direction and clarity on the issue of subsidy removal, it is difficult to understand why Tinubu’s administration is taking a contradictory stance, and what is motivating the federal government’s approach of flip-flopping on the matter.”

It recalled that on May 29, when the president made his “subsidy is gone” declaration, he claimed he did so, because he was possessed by the spirit of courage, saying this was even without any clear plans for the aftermath of the subsidy removal.

It said when labour, CSOs, and other close watchers of the process insisted that there had to be a plan for domestic production and to cushion the effects of such a harsh policy, especially by dealing with oil thefts, they were dismissed as elements who wanted the corrupt, wasteful, and fraudulent subsidy to continue.

It pointed out that at the time, Nigerians who objected to the harshness of the policy were told to make the required sacrifice to save the nation from further financial hemorrhage.

It said the government’s spin doctors, campaigners, and hangers-on were everywhere arguing that the removal of the fuel subsidy would eliminate fiscal constraints, curb corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector, and eliminate the unsustainable cost of the subsidy due to rising fuel prices and a growing population.

It noted: “However, less than 100 days in office, Tinubu’s government reversal, as evident in the covert reintroduction of subsidy payments, prompted close observers to wonder: what happened to the “spirit of courage” that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu claimed he possessed? Is it because the petroleum subsidy is no longer sham? Could it also be stated that the government no longer has to cope with oil thefts and frauds? Or is it possible that Tinubu’s government is currently being held hostage by the subsidy cabal and forced to reverse its position.

“Whatever the motivation, it is disturbing and unacceptable that the same administration, which previously praised itself for sparing the nation from the needless spending associated with subsidies, is now returning the nation to the same path through the back door.

“This means that the trillions of Naira that the government claimed to have saved by eliminating subsidies are now systematically being conned under the guise of resumption of subsidy payments.

“We have always made it clear that the removal of subsidies will be a never-ending process unless Nigeria ends its current absolute reliance on importation of refined petroleum products to satisfy its energy requirements.

“Instead of taking decisive action to restore the nation’s refineries, successive governments have relied heavily on imports to meet the nation’s fuel needs. Consequently, the government must promptly put on its thinking cap and find a solution to this problem.”

The group, therefore, urged genuine activists, journalists, advocates, and citizens to keep the government on its toes through stringent demands for accountability.

It also called on the government to provide full disclosure of companies that received the recent subsidy payments and the goods or services they provided to qualify for such payment.

The group said the country must never forget that the corruption that flourished under the previous subsidy regime was the result of dishonest and underhanded dealings by corrupt marketers/companies.

It maintained that all forms of opaqueness and secrecy would always lead to bad outcomes for the country.