By Our Reporters
President Muhammadu Buhari has not given any directive for petrol subsidy to be removed, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan has stated.
Lawan who spoke to reporters on Tuesday after meeting with the President in Villa said fuel subsidy became an issue to be worried about and as lawmakers representing the people, the issue needed to be addressed.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, had announced last October that the Federal Government made provision for petrol subsidy only for the first six months of 2022 as the government looked towards complete deregulation of the sector.
She had said: “In our 2022 budget, we only factored in subsidy for the first half of the year; the second half of the year, we are looking at complete deregulation of the sector, saving foreign exchange and potentially earning more from the oil and gas industry”.
However, Lawan said after discussing with the President, he was glad to inform Nigerians that Buhari had not told anyone to remove petroleum subsidy.
He said: “Well, it will be of interest to Nigerians to hear what I’ve come to discuss with Mr. President among several other things.
“Many of us are very concerned with the recent agitations, protests, and many citizens were so concerned, our constituents across the country are very concerned that the federal government will remove the petroleum subsidy. And for us, as parliamentarians, as legislators representing the people of Nigeria, this must be of interest to us.
“And we’ve just finished our recess, we had gone home to our constituencies and senatorial districts. And will felt the pulse of our people. And I found it necessary to visit Mr. President, as the leader of our government and our leader in the country, to discuss this particular issue of concern to Nigerians, and I’m happy to inform Nigerians that Mr. President never told anyone that the petroleum subsidy should be removed.”
