By Moses Okorie
A foundation member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Osita Okechukwu has called on all progressives patriots to hearken to Professor Nentawe Yilwatda’s golden advice to demand more from the governors, because they are the greatest beneficiaries from the removal of fuel subsidy.
“In my own recalibration of events the sub-nationals; state and local government areas are the greatest beneficiaries of Removal of Fuel Subsidy.
“As estimated, fuel subsidy expenditure records are interalia:- 2010-N667 billion, 2011-N2,11 trillion, 2012-N1.36 trillion, 2013-N1.32 trillion, 2014-N1.22 trillion, 2015-N654 billion, 2016-N240 billion, 2017-N154 billion, 2018-N1.9 trillion, 2019-N508 billion, 2020-N864 billion, 2021-N1.43 trillion, 2022-N4.39 trillion, 2023-N3.6 trillion.” Source – NEITI, IMF etc.
Mr Okechukwu submitted that the call was timely as many citizens still wallow in multidimensional poverty, local insecurity and state infrastructure deficit; despite unprecedented increases in the Federal Allocation Accounts Committee (FAAC), which was hitherto devoted to fund fuel subsidy.
He called for change in mindset, where the blame games are wont to be heaped only on the Federal Government, as if the Federal Revenue is only in the hand of Mr President.
Accordingly, Okechukwu retorted that Yilwatda’s appeal reminds us that accountability must cascade downwards, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has demonstrated visible commitment to national renewal through reforms in energy and huge security funding.
Finally, my candid appeal to adhere to Professor Yilwatda’s advice as a challenge to rededicate themselves to development is mostly to APC’s Governors, especially now that we have outstanding majority of governors.