Subsidy: Mixed reactions trail Govs’ protest of deductions

PLANS by the
governors of the
36 states of the
country to protest
the Federal
Government’s
heavy deductions
from the Federation
Account in the name
of fuel subsidy,
which they said was
adversely affecting
statutory
allocations to the
states, have
elicited mixed
reactions in the
polity.
The sum of N304
billion was deducted
from federally
collected revenue
between January
and February this
year instead of a
budgeted N148
billion for the two
months,
representing an
additional N74
billion monthly.
The governors
under the aegis of
the Nigeria
Governors Forum
(NGF), said mid-
week that they
were concerned by
the deduction from
the federation
account because it
affected the
various states.
Arbitrary
deductions from the
Federation Account,
especially from oil
revenue have
continued to
generate tension
between the two
tiers of
government. On
several occasions
in recent times,
state
commissioners of
finance, acting on
directives from
their governors,
had rejected
distributable funds
as declared by the
Federal Ministry of
Finance until more
money was added.
NGF Director-
General, Asishana
Bayo Okauru, said
that the governors
attached a lot of
seriousness to the
issue and would
discuss it at their
meeting before
taking their protest
to President
Goodluck Jonathan.
It was learnt that
state finance
commissioners had
sent a memo to the
governors on the
need to be firm
against unilateral
deductions by the
Federal
Government from
what should be a
common fund for
the three tiers of
government, as
well as, other
statutory bodies
such as the
National Assembly,
the Judiciary, and
the Independent
National Electoral
Commission, INEC,
that receive funds
based on statutory
transfers.
Reactions to the
governors’
complaints
yesterday were
mixed. While some
applauded the state
helmsmen, others
chided them for
being lazy and
failing to harness
the enormous
resources in their
areas to boost
internally
generated revenue
instead of running
to Abuja cap-in-
hand every month
begging for
allocations.
States should
import oil
consumed in
their domains –
Odumakin
Speaking on the
issue, Mr Yinka
Odumakin,
spokesperson of
Congress for
Progressive
Change 2011
Presidential
Candidate, Major
General Muhammadu
Buhari (rtd), said
he was happy the
governors had
started
appreciating the
graft characterising
the fuel subsidy
matter.
“It is a good
development that
the governors are
seeing what the
Occupy Nigeria
Movement saw in
January that the
issue in the
subsidy is
corruption. The
governors should
help the system by
auditing the volume
of fuel they
consume daily in
their states and
insist on importing
themselves until we
are able to refine
locally. That is the
way to stop this
scam that the
Federal
Government is
using to feed fat
cats,” he said.
The governors
should bury their
heads in shame –
CNPPHowever, the
Conference of
Nigerian Political
Parties (CNPP), said
even though it was
not siding the
Federal
Government’s
action, the
governors should
be flayed “for their
failure to be
innovative,
creative and
explorative of the
comparative
advantages they
have.”
Said CNPP National
Publicity Secretary,
Comrade Osita
Okechukwu: “Every
state of Nigeria has
capacity to create
wealth. I don’t know
any state that is
not fertile in terms
of agriculture and
does not have
mineral resources
to be exploited.
The governors
have been
consumed by the
Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP)
philosophy, which is
‘food is ready’ and
motto of ‘share the
money.’
What most states
get as monthly
allocation is what
some West African
countries get as
monthly revenue.
Yet, these West
African countries
have better
standard of living
than Nigeria. No
governor can
account for the
allocation he has
received in the last
three months.
“ I am not
supporting the
action of the
Federal
Government but if
the governors want
the Federal
Government to be
prudent in sharing
oil money, they
should work
towards free and
fair elections. If you
help to enthrone a
bad government,
you cannot expect
tangible results.”