State Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF have resolved to engage the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the organised labour on the proposed removal of fuel subsidy. According to the Governors, the meeting with the NLC on the issue has become imperative because as stakeholders, they must be involved in order to arrive at a conclusion of ensuring that Nigerians at the end of the day would not be at the receiving end. The Governors have also denied playing any role in the planned removal of subsidy, even as they said that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC is now a private company and cannot be dictated to on how to carry out its activities.
Addressing Journalists in the early after the meeting of the governors, Chairman of NGF and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi said “The forum also discussed the issue around petroleum subsidy and concluded to engage the leadership of the Nigerian labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on how best to address this issue without causing any disaffection but with a view to salvaging the Nigerian economy for the Nigerian people at the end of the day. “So we shall be engaging the Nigerian labor Congress, as sub national leaders and with a view to ensuring that the outcome of our engagement will also be fed into the national discourse.”
When asked on the input of the Governors on the proposed N302 per litre, Fayemi said, “To the best of my knowledge, the report we are talking about is not a report from governors forum. The National Economic Council, chaired by the vice president of Nigeria has been dealing with this issue over time. And really, it is not up to sub nationals to decide on what happens to PMS prizes. “It is an entirely exclusive responsibility of the federal government. However, were critical stakeholders and were members of the National Economic Council. So we contribute to debates in the National Economic Council. And, but ultimately, whatever we contribute to it is a decision of the Economic Council. It’s not the decision of governments at all. Especially in view of the passage of the petroleum industry Act that’s taken out of our hands completely.”
On the, position of the governors forum on subsidy removal, the NGF Chairman said, ” Well, for us at the forum it is a matter that is a going concern. We don’t have a definitive issue because it is left to the petroleum industry Act. you heard me earlier. It is not for us. NNPC is now a private company and the company should decide what he wants to do with the price of its products. It shouldn’t really be the business of governors.” When asked on the Power Generating Assets, Fayemi said, “Well, the assets that we discussed related to asset on the from the NIPP which belonged to federal, state and local governments. And our views, as expressed is simply that you cannot dispose of the assets without the concurrence clearance of owners of the assets, joint owners of the assets.
And we are still on that because the joint owners at the level of states are making input to a committee that will be set up to review this matter and further engage the Niger Delta power holding company, that is the resident hist of those assets and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE.”
