A Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, has stated that the 36 Nigerian Governor are in support of withdrawal of petroleum subsidy.
So far, the Federal Government has paid trillions of naira on subsidy for the import of petroleum products to the country.
As such, the government raised the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N148 to N151.56 though marketers have raised it to N162 per litre, an increment that has unsettled the Organised Labour to have given the government as one of the conditions to withdraw the increment, else it would embark on a nationwide strike on Monday, September 28.
Enang who spoke on Inspiration FM 105.9, Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State on Saturday said the decision was taken at a recent meeting between the Federal Government and the state governors.
The Presidential aide stated that the Federal Government assured them that money for subsidy would be ploughed into their monthly allocations accrued from the Federation account.
“Even our Governor Udom Emmanuel was in the meeting. He is support of the withdrawal,” he added.
Babajide Otito-ju, an analyst with TVC NEWS, Lagos on Friday argued that the Federal Government would not bow to pressure by the labour to withdraw the petroleum subsidy.
Speaking under Journalists’ Hangout programme, Otito-ju said since the country is financially broke, the government has gone to International Monetary Fund (IMF) for loan.
According to him, withdrawal of subsidy is one of the conditions given to government for the IMF loan as the country is gradually sliding into recession.
