"The govt understands the feelings of many Nigerians because transport costs have gone up and the govt is trying to make sure the benefits that come out of the removal of this subsidy are put into programmes that directly benefit the people and bring down costs.
"For instance, this afternoon president Goodluck Jonathan launched a programme of mass transit to improve bus and road transportation for the people so that the cost of transport can come down. About 1100 buses were put on the road and the road transport workers association has agreed to bring the costs down because the buses use diesel which has been deregulated for quite some time so there was really no need for costs to go up.
"What we're doing is trying to bring the benefits of the subsidy phase-out to bear, so that prices can come down. For instance, the price of transport is set to come down because the transport worker's association has accepted that there was no need to increase the price of bus transport because buses use diesel, not petrol. And so they are going to bring that down. In addition, we are working with other transporters to try and bring prices of transport down.
"We are also working to improve other services which affect the population. For instance, part of this money is going g to be put into services for maternal health and child mortality. We have one of the very bad indicators for maternal mortality in the world and it is unconscionable that our women should be dying in childbirth whilst we're using money to subsidize [petrol] which the poor people in the population do not get. so we need to improve these services to the people.
"We are going to be improving roads. Of the $8 that goes into the subsidy, $4 billion will go into improving road transport and rail transport, and the rest will go into supporting the creation of employment for youth, improving maternal mortality, and into mass transit programs. These are all programs in which the poor in the population will benefit much more than they do from the issue of subsidy."
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Lies!
ReplyDeleteOkonjo Iweala is Insane....she is totally off point. Only laying emphasis on transportation. What about the other sectors of the economy such as industries that make use of petrol, domestic use for Generators since there is hardly power supply in the country. She is feeding fat on the misery of other Nigerians. May the remainder of her days be filled with sorrow.
ReplyDeleteIs a lies she is an idiot she should not take us as fool stupid woman world bank dog.
ReplyDeleteOne question I have is, were all these meager cushioning an after thought? Obviously, YES. Removal of subsidy was not thought through and it was UNTIL the masses protested that they realized they had guffawed. It is even sadder that none of them is talking about plans of refining crude oil in Nigeria. This is not the first time the government has tried to ease mass transit, health care, road and rail etc. CORRUPTION is the real problem not money spent on subsidy. NOOOOOOOO to removal of fuel subsidy and continuous importation of what can be produced at cheaper costs.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe Ngoo is say this or she is being paid form the subsidy to say this. the truth is that the effect of subsidy removal minimal on just Transportation when compare to other sector of the economy. other services and food item will definitely tripple. with this epileptic Power generation in the country, all sector relie on generator powered by fuel to run their businesses
ReplyDeletei think that government should reconsider and think deeply about what they are doing the pains they have already inflected on the masses,my igbo brothers that travel to see there love once are crying,can prezdo and ngoo justify this art.
ReplyDeleteSelfish bastard
ReplyDeleteDear Iweala,
ReplyDeleteI leaned on my chair watching your interview with Al-Jezeera and I realized that immediately you people get to Aso Rock you always forget what is expected to be done for people who voted for you. Let me ask you a question. I believe you have spent number of years abroad and you have experience how those countries operate locally and internationally. Why do you think that because majority of us have no opportunity to go abroad you can fool us with your white lies. As for me I do not support timid government who cannot probe those who have carted away our money. History always repeat itself. What did the Nigeria Government of those days do with the money retrieved from Abacha family and other associates. Tell the person who took over after Abacha's death to account for the money recovered then instead of cutting the heads of masses further.
Its shocking that our so called finance minister is making this senseless speech, this shows that their was no study conducted within the cabinet before their action on subsidy removal, come-on; Ngozi and Jonathan had better recall what just happened to Ghadafi's gov. She did not even mention anything about refining our own PMS, she forgot Power completely. People tell me, how can a multi-billion dollars hospital function without power? She said they brought in diesel buses to bring down the cost of transportation, is diesel not expensive? or are they going to be mixing it with water? It's now clear that Ngozi okonji iwuala knows "nothing" or she is acting under the influence of bribe, otherwise a professional like her should know that there is a "PLAN" before " execution".
ReplyDeleteAnother annoying thing is that they keep mentioning "job creation program" what is this program, doesn't it have a name or is it top secret to be mentioned to the citizens? So disappointing!!!
SPEECHLESS,
ReplyDeletedat is wat i am presently.
awwwwww..,
This is medicine prescribed after death! And on further analysis,it is the wrong medicine that will perpetuate us in total misery. Madam Ngozi,if you truly want to address maternal mortality,create jobs and improve roads and railways,these should be part of the regular budget. What we want to hear is how government intends to cuShion the immediate ripple effect of three fold increase in prices of food stuff ,medical supplies and services,school fees and other essential services. A thousand Buses for 160 million is far too simplistic and benign a solution coming from someone who is out of touch with the realities on the ground.
ReplyDeleteKill her...tat is the best thing to do...its time for you guys to do that.
ReplyDeletethx for the spech but madam all those plant could have come b4 the removal of the subsidy ie the buss the rail the refinaries could have been in place had it been they were in place nobody will be so disturb removal of subsidy is ok for the future what if all nigerians could not see the future who are you saving for the future
ReplyDeleteAll are tales of the old ages. we have heard more of all these stories madam minister is telling the world times without numbers. Government officers should be shameful of themselves parading same stories as excusses to harden lives of the common man. Think out of the petroleum box, come out with economy policies that are friendly to the governed, you are holding those positions as trust to serve them not to reck them. I wonder how our leaders think.
ReplyDeleteIts disaPpointing to know that this woman is educated and to the level of a professor. Furthermore, she has lived and worked outside this country, so she should know what's expected. She has forgottEn the fund part of the use of the Funds recovery from subsidy is for the refinaries. Apparently, the only real plan for that fund is to their pockets, as its purported use keeps changing with each speech given. Shame on you all, you are all a great disappointment!
ReplyDelete