Insisting on the removal of fuel subsidy, the Nigerian Government has stood by its decision.
In response to claims made by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the Independent Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, the Federal Government has expressed disagreement.
Providing insight into the situation, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, shared in a recent interview by media aide, Nneamaka Okafor.
The minister challenged those alleging that the Government is subsidizing the product to present evidence and concrete facts.
Emphasizing the unchanged stance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Government on fuel subsidies, he pointed out that it is the responsibility of every government to mitigate the effects of economic hardship on Nigerians across various sectors, not just the petroleum industry.
Recognizing the sensitivity of the issue, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, affirmed that the Government’s position on fuel subsidy had been clearly communicated.
Stating, he avoided diving deep into the matter, referencing its sensitivity and the need for factual information.
Asserting that in his understanding, the President eliminated the subsidy, and it has remained eliminated ever since.
He added that any claims of ongoing subsidy payments require substantiated evidence for discussion, independent of market forces’ influence on pricing.
Highlighting the broader governmental responsibility to ease burdens on Nigerians, he underscored the necessity across multiple sectors, not just in petroleum.
El-Rufai’s earlier declaration that Tinubu’s administration is currently authorizing higher fuel subsidies prompted reactions from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, supporting El-Rufai’s statement.
In line with this support, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, the Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, cited a hypothetical pump price of N900 per litre in the absence of subsidies.
Stating, “I have previously insisted that the PMS subsidy has been reinstated, refuted by the government,” he emphasized.
Following President Tinubu’s announcement of fuel subsidy removal in May last year, pump prices surged from N200 to over N600 per litre.