AKPABIO WANTS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS

PRESS RELEASE

13 January 2012

AKPABIO WANTS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS

The Federal Government has been urged to include State and Local Governments in on-going post fuel subsidy removal negotiations with the organized labour.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, who made the call in a meeting with transport sector stakeholders in Government House, Uyo, Thursday, said though the negotiations were taking place in the Federal Capital Abuja, it should be borne in mind that the outcome of such negotiations will be implemented in the states and local government areas.

Expressing his support for the removal of the subsidy, he maintained that the subsidy was applicable to fuel imports, and therefore had no potential to generate employment, or add to the country’s gross domestic product.

He posited that rather than subsidizing consumption, the government should subsidize production