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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, says the Tinubu-led federal government under the ruling party is not doing the right thing to assuage the sufferings of Nigerians occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy.
Chukwu, who was Nigeria’s Minister of Health under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, made this comment on Channels Television today.
The Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State said short and medium-term measures have not been provided by the federal government to relieve the economic pains of the people 15 months after the abrupt removal of petrol subsidy, causing the price of the essential product to spiral from about N200 to over N1,000 in most parts of the country.
He argued that the petrol subsidy cannot be completely removed, urging the President Bola Tinubu administration to take prompt remedial actions to mitigate the economic crisis in the country.
Chukwu said, “If the truth be said, as of now, we are not doing the right thing. Even as a doctor, if someone has a seemingly intractable problem, yes, you will give hope to the person but you must solve the problem. Someone is in pain and you are saying: ‘Don’t worry, in three months’ time…’ Are you crazy as a doctor? That person will leave you.
“As a doctor, I know that there are immediate things that need to be done, medium-term things and long-term. Right now, people are suffering.
“I think we cannot just withdraw subsidy completely. No matter how we look at it. Even now, there is still subsidy.
“The truth is the major thing that brings us revenue is the oil and gas sector. It’s okay to say the President is the minister (of petroleum resources) but you must have things looked into thoroughly. It’s one place we’ve not gotten it right. It’s one place our leaders have not exercised that selflessness.”
“Right now, the oil and gas sector is very opaque. It shouldn’t be so,” he said, adding that oil theft allegedly perpetrated by security agents in conspiracy with some suspected government officials must be stopped.
‘State Police Non-Negotiable’
The former health minister further said the current structure of policing in Nigeria has been overwhelmed and has not been effective to curb violent crimes like kidnapping, and banditry, among others.
He said state police have become non-negotiable to confront extant security challenges.
“What we have centrally has been overwhelmed. In any case, security needs a lot of intelligence and only the local people can police their areas. It is not even a matter open for discussion. It is the only way,” Chukwu said.
Commenting on fears by some persons who believe that state governor might abuse the security system if implemented, the former health minister said, “Does it mean that the Federal Government has also been abusing the current police arrangement? If you are talking about abuse, anything can be abused.
“I’m a doctor and one of the medications that has been so thoroughly abused is tramadol. Would I now say because tramadol has been abused, we should no longer use it in hospitals? No. The same ICT that people use is also what criminals use. Everything in life has two sides but you ask yourself what side is best for you at a point in time.”
