The United Nations (UN) office in Nigeria has said that the remarks by the Special Adviser to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Prof. Jeffery Sachs which implied that the global body welcomes the policy on deregulation does not convey any official position of the UNMeanwhile, as United States (U.S.) based Nigerians began protest rallies yesterday in Washington DC against the removal of fuel subsidy and general corruption in Nigeria, the World Bank has said the institution respects the views of Nigerians in the development process of the country, including the determination of a fuel subsidy policy.
While conferring with President Goodluck Jonathan last week, Sachs had described President Jonathan’s decision to withdraw petroleum subsidy as “a bold and correct policy”, in the hope that the funds so released would go a long way to rapid infrastructural development and the health sector.
But a statement by the UN Country office in Abuja yesterday said: “Contrary to some press reports, Sachs was not representing any official UN position on the removal of subsidy on petroleum products”
While U.S.-based Nigerians in New York are to hold another rally today in front of the Nigeria House in Manhattan, their colleagues in Washington DC will protest in front of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund head offices in the U.S. capital.
A statement by the organisers of the protests in Washington DC stated that while yesterday’s protest was in front of the World Bank building, on Friday, the Nigerian protesters will rally in front of the IMF building both in Washington DC located close to each other, adding that “this is more than a fight for the removal of fuel subsidy, this is a fight to remove corruption.”
On the other hand, the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC is also planning a dialogue session with U.S.-based Nigerians to explain the policy of the Federal Government to them.
A meeting of the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., Professor Ade Adefuye and the Nigerian Community has been slated for this weekend in Chicago, according to embassy sources. The meeting is expected to draw representatives from several groups of Nigerians in the U.S., inform them about the current situation at home and seek their support, according to the sources.
But while speaking with The Guardian in exclusive chat, the Vice President of the World Bank, Africa Region, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili said the bank “welcomes the debate of every economic policy, they are key to having a buoyant and legitimate public policy in a country.”
source: Nigerian Guardian News.com
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