The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has declared support for the increase in the price of petroleum motor spirit (PMS).
The support was declared at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja late Wednesday night after a four-hour meeting of the NGF.
Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting, Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, said, “We supported it (fuel price hike) because we believe that it is in the interest of the masses.”
The Federal Government had last Wednesday increased the fuel price from N86.50 to N145.
Amosun said the forum supported the fuel subsidy removal and believed that funds to be saved would be used for infrastructural development.
He said the forum wanted the federal and state governments to put measures in place to cushion the effects of the price hike on the citizens.
He said, “These are sacrifices that must be made by all. The president means well. The government means well. All of us mean well. And if truly we’re caring for the masses, we believe that subsidy only serves the rich: those that are getting us the fuel, not the masses.
“We believe that such monies saved from the subsidy removal would be used for infrastructural development, particularly for social services for all of the down-trodden masses. We’re putting our weight behind it (subsidy removal).”
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