NGF, NLC accuse NNPC of insincerity in subsidy claims

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), after a consultation meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Anuja, accused  the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of insincerity in subsidy administration, and mismanagement of the proceeds from oil transactions.

A statement by the Head of Public Affairs of the Governors Forum, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, declared: “the meeting which was held at the NGF Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja, brokered a partnership between the NGF and the NLC, as both parties agreed that the lacuna in the subsidy removal agenda was hidden in the untruths bandied by the administrators of the subsidy, particularly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which both groups identify to be at the forefront of the mismanagement of the proceeds accrued therein.”

The statement indicated that the Chairman of the NGF, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, had decried that the nation’s economy is at the precipice, stating that it has become necessary for the Governors Forum and the NLC to carefully verify NNPC’s estimates.

The statement further indicated that Governor Fayemi informed the NLC leaders that discussion on subsidy removal has been going on in the country, not just among governors but the country at large, saying that governors cannot but be part of the solution providers in this onerous task that is confronting the nation.

According to Fayemi: “There are raging questions of accountability associated with subsidy removal in the country and observed that the NGF and the NLC can jointly work together to proffer solutions that heal the economy and provide succour to the Nigerian people.

“We need a partnership with the NLC to confront the challenges of what the NNPC is about… because there is a lot of fraud in the consumption and distribution figures that the country is getting and we can only move forward if the NLC engages all those who are knowledgeable in the field like PENGASSAN to conduct a thorough research into the sector before any further action is taken on subsidy.”

The governor said that only about eight states are benefitting directly from the subsidy, while all the others have to contend with the situation on their own.

Fayemi stated: “The partnership with the NLC must confront the perennial issue of palliatives for the common man towards cushioning the effects of subsidy removal on the citizenry.

“Finding succour for the ordinary Nigerian at this time is absolutely imperative and necessary now more than ever.”

The NLC President, Ayuba Waba, and TUC President, Quadri Olaleye, express dissatisfaction that the subsidy claims are often shrouded in secrecy by the federal government. They maintained that the conflicting figures from the managers of the petroleum sector had always been objectionable.

At several times, the FAAC meetings ended inconclusive over disputable figures of revenue NNPC presents to the government, which suspiciously, do not relate with the expected revenue as well as the projections in the budget.