TheCable

Haruna Gololo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Bauchi state, says President Bola Tinubu should create jobs instead of giving out cash to citizens to cushion the impacts of the removal of the petrol subsidy.

The president had asked the national assembly to approve a $800 million loan to ameliorate the hardship induced by the removal of subsidy on petrol.

Tinubu said 12 million households would receive N8,000 monthly from the loan that is being sourced from the World Bank.

Also, another N500 billion has been appropriated by the national assembly in an amendment to the 2022 supplementary budget to mitigate hardship as a result of the subsidy cuts.

In a statement on Friday, Gololo said Nigerians are still questioning the manner in which COVID-19 relief packages were disbursed to citizens.

The APC chieftain said Tinubu should not make the same mistakes former President Muhammadu Buhari made.

“The money should be used to create jobs through the refurbishing of the Nigerian refineries or put up other industries to help employ the youths and school leavers,” he said.

“Yes! Palliative is a good thing and I welcome it, at least, it would cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal but Tinubu should beware of the banana peel that is about to consume one of Buhari’s ministers, the ministers of humanitarian affairs.

“Many Nigerians still call for her head over the diverted coronavirus palliative funds. Many are still calling for the head of former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo over the N5,000 promised to be given to the aged men and women.

“What about the school feeding programme and so on.”

Gololo said the funds could be invested in infrastructure like transportation that would ease the burden of transportation on Nigerians.