As the battle line is drawn between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other pressure groups and the Federal Government of Nigeria over the recent fuel subsidy removal, the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to put the needed infrastructures in place before removal of the subsidy.
Pastor Sam gave this admonition today during the church service adding that the level of dishonesty and corruption in our nation particularly among the elite and government officials has plunged us into this mess.
“If they were honest, may be subsidy would not cost more than N200-N300billion annually. They should attack the corruption in the oil sector from the licensing of importers by PPPRA to the recording of the figures for imported fuel. There are dishonest people in government, ministries and agencies who inflate contract figures ten times and approve non-existent projects for payment. They will consume the money saved from subsidy”. He said the price of fuel per little should be reversed back to N65.
Adeyemi urged the President Goodluck Jonathan to wage war against the corruption in the oil sector and other sectors. He said massive construction of at least two new refineries’ should begin immediately. His words: “The war on corruption in the oil sector should begin immediately. Construction of one large or two medium – sized refineries that will be ready in two years should begin immediately. The president should ensure that those who falsify figures through importation process are named, shamed and prosecuted. Inefficiency should be stamped out of existing refineries immediately so they can produce more fuel. Phased withdrawal of subsidy should begin when new refineries come into operation in about two years. Private refineries will spring up when we achieve full deregulation.
He stressed that, “as to the claim that PMS is used only by the middle class, it shows the disconnect between the elite in government and the common man. The “I-better-pass-my-neighbor” and small power generating sets used in millions of homes and small businesses use petrol. So do most of the taxis and buses that ferry the masses. Increase in fuel price by over 100% has had a direct and instant impact on the lives of most Nigerians”.
Pastor Adeyemi however urged the citizens not to play into the script written by the devil. ‘We need to pray for our country more than ever before. Someone might wonder ‘pray? No. This is the time to protest. This is an acceptable point of view because as citizens we have the right to speak-out. However, I see two scripts playing out in our country presently; one written by God and the other written by satan. And people are acting out the scripts; especially satan’s script without knowing, that is why we need to pray and be very sensitive at this point in time just to be sure we are acting out God’s script because that will be the best for the country”.
He asked Nigerians to pray for God to unravel those behind the Boko Haram attacks.
