AKPABIO ASKS NLC, FG TO DIALOGUE ON FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL

Governor Godswill O. Akpabio has called on Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) and Federal Government to embrace a dialogue in resolving a
nation-wide strike caused by the recent fuel subsidy removal.

Akpabio who made the call Today at Government House, Uyo during a
meeting with stakeholders in Akwa Ibom in the transport sector said
the Federal Government should listen to the people.

According to him, ''The fuel subsidy removal has brought a lot of
tension in the country. I wish the people would understand President
Goodluck E. Jonathan. We have to sit down and dialogue for no leader
wants to inflict pains on his people. What we should now discuss is to
ensuring that subsidy or no subsidy, things would move on well in the
country.

''If we subsidize our own petroleum product by building our refinery,
our children would be employed. We need to do something differently to
improve our present situation. The subsidy we have today is the source
of corruption and such must be removed'', the Governor stated.

He, therefore, appealed to the President to extend the Subsidy
Committee set up at the Federal level to the state and local
government levels in the country to ease tension generated by the
removal of the subsidy.

Akpabio used the occasion to thank the stakeholders in the transport
sector in returning sanity to roads in the state coupled with
reduction of transport fares, which according to him was a patriotic
act to abate the sufferings of the people.

The Governor pledged to assist them by providing more buses to ply the
various routes in the state for the benefit of the people.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Transport, Barrister Ekpenyong
Ntekim had said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the adverse
effects of fuel subsidy removal and suggest ways of reducing the high
transport fares.

Barr. Ntekim commended them for supporting the present administration
in the state since the establishment of Ministry of Transport, lauding
the state Governor for putting N300 million in the transport sector in
this year's budget.

The Chairman of Nigeria Association of Transport Owners (NATO), Akwa
Ibom Chapter, Elder Udo Usoro Udoekop thanked the Governor for being a
man of the people in giving the people hope that they were not on
their hope in the face of transport challenge.

convert this post to pdf.