Students warn Buhari against fuel subsidy removal

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Monday warned the President elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari against any attempt to remove fuel subsidy, saying such action would be vehemently resisted.

Similarly, it called on the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan not to assent to the budget when it gets to his table, if there was no provision for fuel subsidy in it.

In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Com. Nwanko Ezekiel, in Abuja, the group said removing fuel subsidy was anti-people.

The statement said NANS took the decision after wide consultations with the majority of its affiliate member unions, all its structures as well as past leaders.

“We enjoin the National Assembly to have another look at their approved budget and make provisions for fuel subsidy before forwarding it to the President for his assent.

“The incoming administration has said so much about blocking leakages and we believe that the subsidy provisions are not part of the leakages to be blocked.

“The subsidy is almost the only benefit the poor Nigerian masses derive from our abundant petroleum resources.

“We hereby remind the government that in 2012, Nigerians rose in unison against the removal leading to the ‘Occupy Protest’ that almost crumbled our national economy,’’ it said.

Nwanko maintained that Nigerian students were ever ready to once again be in the fore front of agitation against removal of fuel subsidy and would not shy away from such responsibility.

According to him, Nigeria’s economy was still a mono economy; solely dependent on oil, and any increase in price of fuel would trigger hyper inflation and hardship.

He called for diversification of the country’s economy and broaden the foreign exchange earnings.