Key highlights
- The Federal Government said the fuel subsidy palliatives will be left for the Tinubu administration
- The outgoing administration will make recommendations to the incoming government
The Federal Government has revealed that the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu will handle the provision of palliative measures for Nigerians ahead of the removal of fuel subsidy in June 2023.
This was made known by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Nigige, during a chat with journalists at the 68th session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu had during the campaigns for the presidential election said there was no going back on fuel subsidy removal if elected president, insisting that no matter how long people protest, it would not stop him from removing fuel subsidy.
We will hand over to the incoming administration
Ngige while fielding questions on the issue said,
- “The subsidy palliatives will be left to the incoming government to implement. We’ll simply hand over to them.
- “Of course, we will give recommendations which they are at liberty to either accept or reject.”
In case you missed it
- Recall that earlier in March, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, said that there was no agreement with the state governors on fuel subsidy palliatives.
- He said that the Federal Government is yet to harmonise efforts with states to set up palliative measures ahead of the June 2023 deadline for the discontinuation of the petrol subsidy setup.
- The government, however, said concerned committees would soon conclude discussions with key stakeholders as the administration winds down.
- The minister said, a committee led by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the National Economic Council, composed of state governors, had been working to resolve the issue for over 12 months, adding that the committee has yet to harmonise its templates.
Agba added,
- “For over a year plus now, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has been leading a committee working on this and the National Economic Council also has a committee that has also been working on this.”
- “So, the stage that we are in now is how to finalise the suggestions that have come out from both the Federal Government and the governors’ side.
- “Like you know, it is something that is going to affect the entire nation. They will just have to ensure that everyone is carried along, that is both the federal and sub-national governments.’’
Meanwhile, the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, who had wondered how Nigeria would be subsidizing fuel consumption of Cameroon, Niger Republic, and Benin Republic, said his government would give room to allow the private sector to thrive by not interfering, while opening rooms for collaborations.