The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) have refuted recent claims suggesting the reinstatement of petroleum subsidy by the Tinubu-led government.
In response to assertions made
by Nasir El-Rufari, the former governor of Kaduna state, alleging ongoing fuel
subsidy payments by the Federal government, Minister of State for Petroleum
Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, challenged individuals propagating such
claims to present concrete evidence.
Lokpobiri stated, "I don’t
want to delve into that issue. It is a very sensitive issue. It is better we
get all the facts. As far as I’m concerned, the President removed the subsidy
and it remains removed till today. Anybody who is saying that subsidy is being
paid, it is left for the person to bring the facts and then we will talk about
them."
When questioned regarding the
influence of market dynamics on current petrol prices, the minister
acknowledged a multifaceted approach to pricing, indicating governmental
responsibilities to alleviate burdens on citizens across various sectors.
"While it may not be
solely influenced by market forces, let us focus on addressing the current
price. Every government has a duty to do certain things, not only in the petroleum
sector but in several other sectors, to be able to cushion the effect and
burden on Nigerians," Lokpobiri added.
Echoing the minister's stance,
Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Plc, affirmed
that the national oil company no longer subsidizes petrol.
"We are recovering our
full costs from the products we import. It is important to emphasize that the
subsidy is no longer in place. Contrary to allegations, the petrol subsidy has
not been reinstated," Soneye emphasized.
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