Mbah says fuel subsidy return would worsen poverty as NECA seeks relief for businesses
- Enugu Governor Peter Mbah said Nigeria cannot return to fuel subsidy and should not even debate it.
- He spoke at an Afia TV town hall in Enugu, citing cash transfers and seed capital for the poor.
- NECA backed the reform but warned petrol at about ₦1,400 a litre is squeezing businesses and jobs.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah don talk say Nigeria no fit go back to dey pay fuel subsidy, e warn say if dem bring am back, e go make poverty worse and weaken naira.
E talk on Wednesday for one "Meet the Candidates" town hall wey Afia TV organise for Enugu, where e still defend im record for di state and ask voters to support im re-election.
"We cannot go back to subsidy. And I do not think it is in the interest of the country for us to even debate that," Mbah talk, according to Vanguard and The Sun, wey both report di event.
E argue say if dem bring back di subsidy, e go cost di country more than wetin e gain now. For im words, Nigeria go "lose ten times whatever we are currently trying to gain", and poverty rate go rise well well because naira go devalue.
Mbah still talk say to dey debate return fit scare investors. E talk say di country suppose focus on making di gains reach households, create jobs and build wealth.
E talk say di old subsidy mainly benefit rich Nigerians, while government now dey use savings to target poor people through cash transfers. E still cite one programme wey aim to give seed capital to 1,000 people per ward nationwide.
Employers want relief, not just savings
Di Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA), wey dey speak for organised businesses, still back keeping di reform. But e talk say success suppose dey judged by wetin Nigerians and businesses feel, not by how much revenue government collect.
NECA Director-General Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde talk say di reform remain important for restoring fiscal sustainability and freeing resources for development. E add, however, say e lose im justification if di savings no lead to better living standards, lower production costs and jobs.
"Fiscal savings and increased government revenue mean little to the average citizen if businesses continue to struggle, jobs remain threatened and households are increasingly unable to meet their basic needs," Oyerinde talk for one statement on Tuesday.
NECA put petrol at average of about ₦1,400 per litre and diesel at about ₦1,900 per litre for some locations. E talk say these costs dey raise operating expenses, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises, and dey put jobs at risk.
Di association urge Federal Government to fund targeted social protection well and make am transparent and data-driven. E still call for federal, state and local governments to work together so dat savings and higher crude oil revenue go produce visible results.
NECA list electricity, roads and transport, agriculture, healthcare, education and industrial infrastructure as priorities. E talk say reliable, affordable power go cut production costs and help manufacturers compete.
What happens next
Di sources no indicate any plan to change di subsidy policy. Di debate now centre on how dem dey spend di savings and whether relief reach households and small businesses.
