National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Christian Association of Nigeria enjoined Nigerians to bear with President Bola Tinubu and give him a chance to fix the country.
CAN also commended Tinubu for taking proactive steps to avert the proposed strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, over fuel subsidy removal pains.
The CAN Chairman, Lagos State chapter and Methodist Bishop of Ikeja Diocese, Stephen Adegbite, said this during a press conference in Abuja.
He said, “a misadventure profiting the rich and politically connected,” he said the issue became worsened when regional neighbours and smugglers started enjoying opulent returns at the expense of the citizenry.
“I have keenly followed the socio-economic developments in our country since May 29, 2023, when the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took the reigns of governance.
“The President had, on assuming office, made his now famous ‘fuel subsidy is gone’ pronouncement in his inaugural speech and since then, fuel prices have twice gone up in line with the dictates of market forces.
“The step he took was one majority of Nigerians had agreed needed to be taken. It was increasingly obvious that the subsidy regime was not benefiting the masses it was originally designed to benefit.”
He added, “The truth is that the fuel subsidy misadventure was profiting the rich, the politically connected, and even worse, our regional neighbours and smugglers who enjoyed opulent returns at the expense of the citizenry.
“Basically, the masses who were supposed to benefit from the subsidy were not the primary or secondary beneficiaries, but the saddest part is that the people have somehow been hoodwinked and deceived into believing that the fraud of subsidy was in their favour.
“It is against this background that I commend President Tinubu for inviting NLC and TUC leaders for follow-up discussions after organized labour went ahead with protest marches, despite his nationwide broadcast.”
“I find it assuring that he used the opportunity to provide clarity on a number of things labour leaders felt were not clear enough.
“This, in my view, shows that we indeed have a listening President who is interested in getting things done in national interest.”
“So it is clear that there is a plan on ground to ensure local refining of petroleum. It is good to know that labour has resolved to suspend its protest marches.
“So my message to NLC and TUC is that if there is any need for a call to action, it should be for the judicious and accountable use of the funds that would otherwise have been used to subsidise fuel.”
“We can’t be complaining about a deficit of social infrastructure and amenities as well as low wages for civil servants, and at the same time be opposed to efforts to improve the quality and availability of same,”
