By Ignatius Chukwu
Policy makers consider the reactions that may follow and plan ahead. Was this considered in breaking the news of subsidy removal?
Details:
Filling stations in Port Harcourt have shut down and stopped selling premier motor spirit (fuel) to motorists.
The few that were selling early Tuesday have shut down.
The ones selling are doing so at N400 per litre with fears it will go up to N500 by evening of same day.
This is believed to be a reaction to the new president’s inaugural remark where he said fuel subsidy is dead.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu had said he had peeped into the 2023 budget and did not see any provision for fuel subsidy. For that reason, he stated, fuel subsidy has ended.
Although this attracted applause from the audience, fuel marketers seem to have reacted their own way.
Filling stations have locked up, probably waiting for further policy direction.
Some said the policy would have been better communicated and measures to soak the pressure would also have been put in place and announced along with the subsidy stoppage policy.
