Members of Lagos State House of Assembly have added their voice to the general condemnation of the removal of the subsidy on fuel by President Goodluck Jonathan on January 1, 2012.
Hon. Saka Fafunmi, representing Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency 2, told journalists yesterday at the legislative house that the purpose of deregulation was to create jobs and provide more refineries, but he wondered if government could fully give the people the assurance that they would actually reap the benefits of the policy.
“The removal of fuel subsidy would cause serious pain and hardship to Nigerians. This is ill-timing by President Goodluck Jonathan. Government can as well remove subsidy on finished products which will mandate companies to have refineries and achieve what we are trying to achieve.
“It is obvious that things would be expensive but I will ask Mr. President to take a second look at this in order to avert crisis,” Fafunmi said.
In his own comment, Hon. Bolaji Yusuf, representing Muhin Constituency 1, condemned the removal of fuel subsidy, and contended that the priority of the Federal Government should been how to provide security of life and property of Nigerians.
“President Goodluck Jonathan should have concentrated on how to stop the menace and the activities of Boko Haram and not removal fuel subsidy. If the president? removes fuel subsidy three million times, if? security of life and property is at stake, all the economic terminology of the removal will not work,’’ he said, noting that no investor would like to invest in an insecure environment.