Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said President Bola Tinubu’s government did not lie about removing fuel subsidies and deregulating the downstream sector.
Onanuga who said this in a statement on his official X page, debunked claims that the current government had been unfaithful to its policy of not paying fuel subsidies since President Tinubu announced the deregulation of the PMS sector on May 29, 2023.
According to him, subsidy provisions had disappeared from Nigeria’s budget and were not included in the supplementary budget of 2023.
Onanuga’s clarification came following speculations that the federal government was still paying fuel subsidies despite his declaration in May 2023.
He said, “I have read a series of articles attacking the Federal Government for not telling the truth about fuel subsidy payments, following NNPC Limited’s admittance it was owing suppliers some $6 billion.
He, however, said the introduction of Premium Motor Spirit or petrol by the Dangote refinery into the Nigerian market, would definitely alleviate the suffering of the masses.
There was a fresh uproar on Tuesday after the Nigerian Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited increased petrol pump prices from around ₦568 to ₦855, ₦897 (depending on the location per litre) amid lingering fuel scarcity crisis.
While the report from Abuja said price was jerked up to ₦897 per litre, our correspondent in Lagos said NNPCL station at Awolowo Road in Lagos increased price to ₦855 per litre.
Other marketers have since jerked up prices too following NNPCL’s price adjustment, with over 30 per cent increments reported, to around ₦897 per litre.
Reports earlier revealed a hike in the ex-depot price of the product to ₦754 per litre.
Speculations revealed the price was reviewed upward to reflect the global price and to reduce the debt burden on NNPCL.
The Federal Government has denied reports that it directed NNPCL to peg fuel prices at ₦1,000.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has since demanded a reversal of the new pump price.
Condemning the move in a statement, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, accused the Federal Government of betraying the labour movement.
