●●●Sanusi Backs Tinubu’s Removal Of Fuel Subsidy, Applauds Forex Unification
The Council after its inaugural NEC meeting on Thursday, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, announced that it would set up a committee to work out within two weeks, the modalities for organizing and distributing the palliatives.
Members of the committee comprise the Governor of Kebbi, the Governor of Benue for North Central; the Governor of Kaduna, Northwest; Bauchi, representing the North East; the Governor of Cross River, South-South; Anambra representing the South East geopolitical zone and Oyo State for the South West.
Speaking to State House correspondents at a briefing, the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, who was flanked by four of his colleagues, said the Council also discussed the possibility of obtaining funds from the World Bank and London partners to implement a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme for vehicles in the country as part of measures to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
He said the Council deliberated on other recommendations including the one by the organized labour for N702.9 billion consequential adjustment on allowances as well as no less than N25 billion naira per month, which they requested to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal.
While noting that NEC took very far-reaching decisions and deliberations on the issue of the removal of petroleum subsidy and its general impact on the economy, Mohammed noted that NEC had received recommendations on the issue of the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission to help the situation.
The Bauchi governor equally stated that inputs of the committee on palliatives earlier set up and headed by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, would not be discarded but integrated into the ongoing process.
Sanusi Backs Tinubu’s Removal Of Fuel Subsidy, Applauds Forex Unification
Meanwhile, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has applauded President Bola Tinubu for removing petrol subsidy and stopping multiple exchange rates.
Speaking to the State House correspondents after a private meeting with the President in Aso Rock on Thursday, Sanusi said Tinubu has started on a strong footing.
“As you know, many of the issues that we have been talking about — the subsidy that has caused haemorrhage on the fiscals, the multiple exchange regime and so on — these are issues that I have been personally talking about for a long time and I am happy that at his very first day, he has addressed these issues and the markets are happy.
“And it is important when the government does the right thing for us to give them feedback, not always when they do wrong, you complain. He has started on such a strong footing as far as the economy is concerned that we have to come and support and encourage that we continue along that path and be advocate of the success pursuit.”
Sanusi said he also discussed on how to handle the issue of herders and farmers clashes, which he said has been a concern to him.
He said he particularly appealed to the President on the 37 herdsmen who were bombed by the military in Nasarawa State few months ago. He recalled writing a letter on the matter to former President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that he has come to inform the current president, expressing hope that he will address it.
Other things the former CBN governor said he discussed with Tinubu include the issue of poverty in the North, out-of-school children, and girl child education. He added that they would continue to have discussions on how to address the issues.
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