A non-governmental organisation, Future Nigeria Movement (FNM), has told President Bola Tinubu, that Nigerians were more concerned about revamping the nation’s moribund refineries than the N5 billion palliative announced by the presidency to cushion the effects of subsidy removal.

Leader of the group, Mr. Livingstone Wechie, stated this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, while reacting to the palliative money which would be distributed by various state governors.

Wechie wondered why Nigeria’s government should be concerned about sedative instead of curative measures in tackling the country’s challenges.

He said: “The N5 billion palliative by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is a clear indication that the government realises that the removal of the fuel subsidy is impacting seriously on Nigerians.

“It is arguably a show of sensitivity knowing that everything in this country revolves around the energy sector. It is, however, the submission of the Future Nigeria Movement (FNM) that the best subsidy that Nigerians long to see is to ensure that our state-owned refineries are made to work again and this must be treated as a matter of national emergency.

“This is not asking too much because leaving the energy sector in the hands of the almighty market forces is to run on auto pilot and the backlash will remain baleful.”

The group charged the federal government to be more innovative in its approach to solving the teething national problems with all the competence and skills needed.

Wechie continued: “Nigerians today, will not condone explanations and alibis because the citizens have had enough of that in the past administrations. This current administration must sit up and confront the monster of underdevelopment that besets our growth as a people.

“It is, therefore, submitted that part of why the energy crisis is biting so hard is because we are still a gluttonous consumer nation whose antidote is to evolve into a purely manufacturing nation.

“The solution to this ominous national rollercoaster ostensibly is for government to stamp its feet and seek the necessary partnerships and blueprints, set up all the necessary infrastructure to revive Nigeria’s national assets along with creating a delibrate actionable policy to drive a target based private sector economy apparatus.”

On the N5 billion palliative, the FNM advised the federal government to give close monitoring to the disbursement processes by the governors, adding that civil society organisation should be included in the management of the funds to ensure probity and accountability.

Wechie said: “The governors should prioritise transportation infrastructure in the utilisation of these funds particularly the movement of agro products. There should be an arrangement for the eased transportation of goods such as consumables and persons across states so that the critical and most impacted aspects of the society can benefit from these palliative by the federal government.

“It, therefore, follows that if this administration must succeed, it must not be compensational in its appointments, so that only those with the competence, capacity, patriotic zeal and skill are brought on board to take the right decisions to save the country from this economic catastrophe. It is, therefore, instructive to note that whereas the palliative are well intended, it may be shortlived and undermine its essence because it is not curative, but merely sedative.” (Saturday Sun)