Residents of Owerri, the Imo state capital, have joined in the widespread opposition to the planned fuel subsidy removal, and its replacement with the N5000 transport palliative as revealed by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government had announced plans of removing subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, also known as fuel, in a bid to sustain the economic recovery of the nation, and a 5000 monthly transport palliative to 40 million Nigerians.
Speaking to TOAST FM’S correspondent, local businessmen, transporters, and other citizens denounced the fuel subsidy removal, stating it was rather going to worsen the already deteriorating economic situation than salvage it.
A Trader, Emeka Charles, who expressed a lack of trust in the Federal government, in keeping to the promise of the monthly palliative, consistently, said, “The issue is just that we can’t trust the government… removing the fuel subsidy will increase the fuel price. We doing business; it will affect us. For the 5000, they have not even kept to all their promises. They could just pay one month and stop paying again.”
In the same vein, a local food vendor, Peace Bartholomew, lamented the aftermath of the increase in the transportation of goods as a result of the fuel subsidy removal, and how in turn, it affects the prices of food items.
Peace complained that the set palliative will in no way aid the situation as food prices are already on the high side and may increase more.
Another commenter, Okezie Ami, a transporter, said this will increase the suffering of Nigerians, most especially the poor masses, and pleaded that the government maintained the fuel subsidy, as it was their major benefit from the government.
A few other residents doubted how fairly the distribution of N5000 will be for all Nigerians. A resident, who preferred staying anonymous, proposed that the government utilizes the palliative as funds for fuel subventions or investments that stem economic growth.
