…holds public hearing on electricity tariff Monday
A Senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar, has described the current fuel scarcity in the country as worrisome and unexpected.
He disclosed that the situation has made it necessary for the Senate to review the fuel policy and come up with legislative intervention in the next sitting on Tuesday so as to nip this nasty situation in the bud.
Senator Umar disclosed this on Sunday (April 28, 2024) in Ilorin, the kwara state capital during an interview with newsmen, saying that “we are closely monitoring the fuel subsidy removal and forex single window on how the country will be benefitting from these two policies.
“As a member of the Down Stream Petroleum in the National Assembly, we are working towards meeting all stakeholders in the oil sector and understand clearly what are the issues so that we can get fuel available and make sure that the price is competitive and is fair enough” he said.
The lawmaker, who spoke on fuel subsidy removal and single forex window, said the two policies are ultimately the hard pills that must be swallowed by Nigerians for us to move forward as a nation.
He however attributed the current worrisome situation to handiwork of some people with different interests other than what everybody is looking at.
He therefore called on Nigerians to be patient with the government, saying that frantic efforts are ongoing by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration to make life more bearable for the citizens.
“Nigerians should be patient, this is not the first time we are having fuel crisis.
We didn’t expect this to come since the oil sector has been liberalised but it is easier said than done because there other players who have other interests other than what everybody is looking at but we (Senate) are monitoring that closely and by the time we resume plenary on Tuesday (Aprill 30, 2024) we will review the sector”
“Everybody in this country has accepted that those two policies are hard pills that we must swallow if we must move this country forward.
“In my honest opinion and with the difficulty these two polices have brought of which some of us have been worried about it. But again it is also good to say that ‘no pain no gain’ It is a necessary surgery that has to be performed, that has to come with blood and pain. As government representatives, we are struggling to see how government will make things better for the people by a way of palliative or other measures to lower the pain” he added.
Speaking on the hike in the electricity tariff, Senator Umar hinted that the Senate will on Monday (Aprill 29, 2024) organise a public hearing on the matter to either reverse the policy or break it into phases.
“Adding electricity tarrif hike to these two policies will be making life more tougher for the citizens. Electricity is necessary for business, the more the hike the more the increase in the goods and services and we a really concerned about it as law makers.
“As a member of committee on power, I’m flying out of Kwara to Abuja tomorrow (Monday Aprill, 29, 2024) for a public hearing on what to be done on this hike in the tarrif in order to unanimously come up with a legislative position on whether to be reversed or broken it in phases” the lawmaker said.
“Liberalisation of power generation in this country is the only way to go. Those operating now can’t even meet the 30 per cent of power need of this country, so we have no option than to liberalise and that has been done”.
“As members of national assembly our job is to ensure that policies are being implemented along the intended purposes and not allow other business players to take advantage of the policies at the expense of collective interests” he added.
Speaking on agitation for power shift to the Kwara North come 2027 general election, Senator Umar aligned with the call, saying the agitation is genuine and politically right as the District has not been considered for such position since 1999.
“We are agitating for kwara state of harmony not Kwara North. Let’s make sure kwara is a state of harmony by harmonising all our collective aspirations and then everybody will have that sense of belonging and will be proud that the state is actually the state of harmony.
Rating Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s performance since he assumed office as Governor of Kwara state, Senator Sadiq Umar said by his observation from 1999 till now, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is the best governor as he brings decency, humility into governance.
He explained that he has recorded spectacular achievements in the areas of security, prompt payment of workers’ salary, Health care delivery services, Education, Rural road, Water supply and a host of other tangible and intangible prjects he has been executing in the state.
Ends.
