The Social-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), to reject the recommendation of the committee chaired by Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that fuel should be sold for between N408.5 and N380 per litre in the country.
Read Also: You Can’t Equate Cattle Movement To Right Of Property Ownership, Adegboruwa Replies Malami
El-Rufai, chairman of the NGF committee on fuel subsidy removal, had stated that the current subsidy regime cannot be maintained because smugglers and illegal markets in neighbouring countries are the beneficiaries.
“Between N70 billion and N210 billion is estimated to be spent every month to keep gasoline price at N162 per litre, this is below the cost price and the remittance to the federation account will shrink to less than N50 billion per month or even zero if threats persist.
“We are already at zero. I understand for tomorrow, so this scenario has occurred.
Read Also: We Bought Fuel N300 Per Litre During NLC Strike – Kaduna Residents
“Why are we keeping the price at N162? We are keeping the price because the Federal Government and trade unions met and agreed to the suspension of some industrial action months back,” he had said.
He further explained that the committee recommended N408.5 litre as the appropriate price in the circumstance but noted that N380 per litre could be the minimum following conciliatory talks with labour unions.
However, SERAP, in a tweet on Thursday, said the recommendation of the committee will punish the poor “and exacerbate inequities”.
Read Also: Gas Explosion Kills Two Persons At Obasanjo Presidential Library
The group vowed to fight what it described as “illegality”.
“BREAKING: We urge @NGFSecretariat to immediately reject the recommendation by the El-Rufai committee for a petrol price of between N408.5 per litre and N380 per litre. This will only punish the poor and exacerbate inequities. We’ll fight to stop this illegality and travesty,” SERAP tweeted.
BREAKING: We urge @NGFSecretariat to immediately reject the recommendation by the El-Rufai committee for a petrol price of between N408.5 per litre and N380 per litre.
This will only punish the poor and exacerbate inequities.
We'll fight to stop this illegality and travesty.
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) May 20, 2021
Discussion about this post