FG Should have consulted widely – Tunde Bakare

chika ebuzor

May 23, 2016 4:56 AM

Bakare also went further to explain why he took part in the protests against fuel subsidy removal in 2012, during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Pastor Tunde Bakare

The Senior Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly,

Bakare also went further to explain why he took part in the protests against fuel subsidy removal in 2012, during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Punch reports that he said “In 2012, we were not against the economic arguments behind fuel subsidy removal. Instead, we wanted the government to investigate the subsidy regime, bring culprits in the maladministration of that regime to book and recover stolen funds before commencing the policy discourse around subsidy removal.

“We have not changed our earlier conviction in spite of a change in government. We have only acknowledged that the new government has persistently demonstrated its anti-corruption stance while seeking policy solutions to the economic crisis, though there have been gaps in policy management.”

Bakare also said “We had expected that, in response to our call earlier in the year, the government would have consulted extensively with stakeholders and embarked upon extensive communication and enlightenment campaigns across the social spectrum, with particular attention to the middle class and the grassroots, on the new price regime prior to its introduction.

“This would have been a better-received sequence than the sudden policy introduction and the after-the-fact approach to informing and enlightening Nigerians.”

The fuel subsidy removal, and subsequent increase in fuel price to N145 was announced by the government on Wednesday, May 11, 2016.

chika ebuzor