Kaduna, July 4, 2023: The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says the deregulation of downstream sector of petroleum industry would create job opportunities for Nigeria’s teaming youth.
Alhaji, Zubairu Galadima-Soba,the Kaduna state director of the agency made the disclosure on Monday.
He said that the deregulation policy was aimed at opening the petroleum sector for healthy competition where market prices reflect market realities thereby encouraging competition.
According to him, the policy would encourage foreign investors to come into the sector to create jobs and bring infrastructural development.
“Marketers will be encouraged to resume importation of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) which will lead to competition and drive prices down at the long run.
“Trillions of naira spent on subsidy would be used to develop critical infrastructures across different sector such as health and education.
“The deregulation of the sector will discourage the smuggling of Nigeria’s already subsidized PMS to other countries which sometimes is the reason for fuel scarcity”, he said.
The state director explained that the Agency had embarked on sensitisation campaign to deepen the knowledge of citizens and engender their support and participation on the policy.
He said that the sensitization campaign cut across all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state with the aim of securing citizens’ support for the removal of fuel subsidy by the government.
Galadima-Soba stated that the agency had taken the message to traditional leaders offices, religious worship centres,village squares, motor parks, markets and communities.
“While interacting with the people, they decry the hardship they are experiencing due to the policy but expressed hope that the situation will be temporary.
“They appealed to the Federal Government to ensure judicious use of the money saved from the subsidy removal for developmental projects that would benefit the common man.
“We assure them of government’s commitment towards improving the welfare and security of it’s citizens while urging them to support the government,” he said.
