ActionAid Nigeria has said the removal of fuel subsidy presents untold hardship on the masses, calling on the government to prioritise social protection measures, invest in critical sectors and ensure transparency in the utilisation of saved resources.
The country director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, who spoke at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, urged the government to ensure that women, young individuals, and persons with disabilities receive special consideration in the social protection program.
Obi emphasised the need to resuscitate the four refineries in Nigeria as a means to create more employment opportunities for the country’s young population.
She highlighted the importance of engaging citizens, organised labour, civil society organisations and stakeholders in a transparent investigative process to establish, review and understand the subsidy system, ensuring that government inefficiencies are not transferred to the citizens.
Another critical point raised by Obi was the need to review the social protection program which was initiated by the previous administration to address the vulnerability of Nigeria’s impoverished population. Citing the National Bureau of Statistics’ multidimensional survey, Obi pointed out that over 133 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line, and the recent flooding that affected 31 states further exacerbated the situation.
In order to reduce reliance on petrol, she urged the promotion of alternative energy sources such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Furthermore, she called for the immediate provision of an affordable and safe public transportation system across the country to alleviate the burden on citizens.
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