Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has described the federal government’s compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion figures as evidence of the failure of President Bola Tinubu’s policy to cushion the impact of petrol subsidy removal.
Atiku’s criticism comes as the federal government expands
its CNG programme in an effort to reduce transportation costs for Nigerians.
Tinubu on Thursday ordered the rollout of an additional 500
CNG refuelling stations nationwide, bringing the total number of stations under
the programme to 1,000.
‘CNG CANNOT MAKE POOR NIGERIANS RICHER’
In a statement on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, his senior
special assistant on public communication, Atiku, presidential candidate of the
African Democratic Congress (ADC), said only about 120,000 vehicles had been
converted to CNG in more than three years, representing less than one percent
of an estimated 14 million vehicles on Nigerian roads.
“If Tinubu’s grand strategy for cushioning the consequences
of his reckless and poorly thought-out subsidy removal is CNG conversion, then
the admission that only about 120,000 vehicles have been converted in more than
three years is not an achievement. It is an of policy failure,” the statement reads.
Atiku said the government’s figure is a poor reflection of
its performance, arguing that Nigerians are still struggling with high
transportation, food and energy costs.
“Against widely cited estimates of roughly 14 million
vehicles on Nigerian roads, 120,000 conversions amount to less than one per
cent. That is the government’s own number. That is Tinubu marking his own
examination script,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate acknowledged that CNG could
reduce the operating cost of converted vehicles but argued that it did not
address the broader purchasing-power crisis.
“CNG can make a converted bus cheaper to operate. It cannot
make a poor Nigerian richer,” he said.
He said Nigerians are travelling less because of high fares,
while workers, traders and farmers are struggling with rising transportation
costs.
“So, what exactly has Tinubu solved if the bus becomes
cheaper to operate but the passenger has become too poor to enter it? A cheaper
bus without an affordable passenger is not economic recovery,” he said.
He also criticised the government’s plan for Nigerians to
begin benefiting from lower transport fares from October 1, saying the relief
is coming too late.
“Nigerians are hungry today. Transport is expensive today.
Food is expensive today. Businesses are dying today. Why must relief arrive by
appointment?” he said.
ATIKU PUSHES TARGETED PRODUCTION SUBSIDY
The former vice-president said his alternative would be a
targeted, transparent and fiscally capped intervention linked to domestic
petroleum production.
“Fuel subsidy must return for struggling Nigerians, not the
rich friends of the president and multinational companies, but a targeted
production intervention that is transparently budgeted, independently audited
and guarantees that the benefit reaches consumers,” he said.
Atiku said an administration led by him would support
domestic refining, track production and cap costs to ensure the benefits
reached commuters, farmers, workers, traders and small businesses.
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