Subsidy Removal: Palliatives are insufficient to combat poverty – Shehu Sani

“Even if you follow the layout plan and distribute N8,000 to 20 million people over time, what happens to the other Nigerians who are not included in that cycle of beneficiaries?”

The Federal Government’s proposed palliatives to lessen the impact of the loss of gasoline subsidies on Nigerians have been criticised by Senator Shehu Sani, a former congressman who represented Kaduna Central.

Petrol prices have risen from below N200 per litre at NNPC outlets and numerous stations throughout the nation to the N500 level as a result of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration on May 29 to immediately halt the payment of subsidy on petrol.

Tuesday saw a worsening of the situation as the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) increased the price of fuel to N617. In an effort to mitigate the consequences of the loss of the gasoline subsidy, Tinubu, who was concerned about the situation, made a six-month commitment to 12 million of the poorest households in the nation to transfer N8,000 per month.

The palliatives, according to Shehu, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, are insufficient to solve the country’s poverty.

The issues of poverty in our nation cannot be solved by palliatives, according to Shehu. “Even if you follow the layout plan and distribute N8,000 to 20 million people over time, what happens to the other Nigerians who are not included in that cycle of beneficiaries?”

“After the money has run out, what will happen to Nigerians? Palliative care, in my opinion, should address both immediate and long-term concerns.

The former legislator urged the federal government to prioritise agriculture, support food production among farmers, and raise wages for employees in the long run.

Shehu claimed on the broadcast that the intended action to obtain the loan from the World Bank and distribute it to Nigerians would be suicidal.

Palliative measures for Nigerians have been approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) in the interim.

Cash transfers would be made through state social registries, subject to state-specific requirements, and NEC also examined integrity checks on these databases.