CSOs call for investigation into N1.6trn subsidy claim

 
Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, under its Building Leverage and Unity on Fuel Subsidy Struggle, BLUF, programme, weekend, called for investigation into the N1.3 trillion quoted as cost of subsidy for petrol by the Federal Government, noting that the actual amount was N300 billion.
The group explained that N1.6 trillion spent as fuel subsidy in 2011 was the accumulation of the genuine subsidy component of about N300 billion and the stolen loot of N1.3 trillion by the cabal operating in the petroleum sector.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on behalf of BLUF, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, of Centre for Democracy Development, said they did not give organised labour the mandate to negotiate the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, (petrol) on behalf of Nigerians with the government.
He said: “Although N1.3 trillion is quoted as the cost of subsidy, the total amount spent in 2011 was even higher and amounted to over N1.6 trillion paid out to the cabal so far.
“This vast amount that Nigeria lost is composed of a genuine subsidy component of about N280-300 billion and N1.3 trillion that is the stolen loot taken by the cabal.
“The stolen loot can be decomposed into two components: one component is the fake template with 14 inflated items used by PPPRA. The second component is round-tripping and false accounting recently outlined by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
‘What we want’
Ibrahim added that the resolution of the government-labour meeting couldn’t be only based on simply changing the pump price of petrol from N141 to N100 or N80, but also on the dismantling of the corrupt subsidy regime, which had the most stupendous record of looting in Nigeria.
The group, at the end of its meeting demanded “immediate reversal to N65 per litre for a six-month period during which we work out a framework for dismantling the cabal and its corrupt subsidy regime by investigating, prosecuting and punishing those found to be involved.
“President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration must accept that Nigerians have a right to benefit from their God-given resources. After all, the government has an agreement with OPEC to allocate 445,000 barrels a day for local refining and consumption.
“That we develop a time-bound programme for re-establishing the capacity to process and sell these allocations to Nigerians at a cheap rate. Nigerians have entitlements, which cannot be ignored or disregarded.
On 2012 security vote
“We insist that the N1.47 trillion proposed for security in the 2012 budget must be reviewed downwards to provide for the cost of maintaining the real subsidy (N300 billion) and provide for other vital services which have been cut in the budget, especially in the health and education sectors.
“That Goodluck Jonathan administration must accept basic democratic principles. The views of citizens must not only be accepted but must be the basis for all policy development and implementation.”
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