I AM PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE CURRENT ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA ONLY IF I AM CONVINCED THAT THE MONEY SAVED FROM THE REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY HAS NOT BEEN STOLEN – M.O.Idam Esq.

Mary Akanbi

21st May, 2024

Scarcity of fuel has become Nigeria’s unfortunate reality, in spite of outragous fuel price increment. Curiously, the elites till date has maintained that the removal of fuel subsidy remains the solution to Nigeria’s problems notwithstanding that today, the nation is faced with an unprecedented economic crisis leading to outrageous hike in price of products. Sadly, basic necessities thrives in price while wages of workers refused to grow.

Every Nigerian appears to have accepted hardship as the country’s new normal. Hence, no one is either protesting or holding a campaign against the policies of Mr. President.

In the midst of the tacit silence in Nigeria over the “details of the savings made from fuel subsidy”, I had written the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) respectively, demanding the details of the money saved from the removal of fuel subsidy and the project commissioned with savings made therefrom. Their responses suggested that I should make the demand to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Consequently, I have today written the NUPRC, hoping to get to the answers I seek. Interestingly, I was informed by the currier agent that a staff of NUPRC received the letter but refused to acknowledge same after going through it, stating that the NUPRC is not incharge of subsidy. Howbeit, I have decided to wait for the statutory period of Seven (7) days to elapse as provided by the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, as I am prepared to apply to the appropriate court with jurisdiction against all the relevant agencies of government in pursuit of the answers regarding fuel subsidy savings.

It is my believe that governance has to be transparent in order to carry the governed along as the governed must not only be relevant during polling. I am prepared to accept the hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, once I am convinced that the monies saved as a result of fuel subsidy removal is intact or has been applied to a tangible project in the overall good of the people of Nigeria.

Yours truthfully,

M.O.Idam.

See the letter written below;