According to Mr Bola Babarinde, a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) south africa said , The government's palliative measures to mitigate the consequences of eliminating fuel subsidies, should not be restricted to cash distribution.
In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, Babarinde pleaded with the Federal Government to include palliatives for all facets of society.
”Subsidising essential commodities especially fuel may not be a bad idea after al if the attendance corruption can be eliminated but it has proven to be a cankerworm eating deeply into government finances.
“That alternatively is removing it as it is and introducing innovative sustainable palliatives which should not be limited to given cash handouts.
“There are areas of interventions we need to critical support to reduce or eliminate negative effects of Subsidy Removal, which include but not limited to increasing workers wages, availability of standard credit facility at minimum interest rates.
“Supportive interventions in agriculture for food security, affordable and quality healthcare and education to improve living standards, increase spending on infrastructures (Built Environment and ICT with others).
“There are available innovative ideas that can make lives of majority of Nigerians worthwhile and liveable, but we have to be ready, less greedy, be accountable, be our brothers’ keepers, leadership with great deal of empathy and unconditional love,” he said.
In order to raise the level of living of Nigerians, he tasked the government with ensuring that they have access to inexpensive, high-quality healthcare and education.
