A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has asked President Bola Tinubu to take quick steps, such as the removal of bank charges and a reduction in the monthly contributions to pension schemes by workers, to ameliorate the biting effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on the masses.
Chidoka, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and an ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, stated this while answering questions on a political talk show, Sunday Politics.
“We need to think beyond politics. When he (Tinubu) took the decision to remove subsidies, he removed fuel subsidy, and the fuel prices rose by 100 and something naira to 500 and something naira in a day. What are the immediate measures that can be taken to make sure there is more cash in the pockets of people who go to work every day?” he queried.
“If I was thinking with him, I would have said immediately: remove the charges for bank transfers in Nigeria, the N26 and the N56; cut them immediately. That money goes to the banks, and they are just enriching themselves. or pay a flat rate of N100 once a month for IT (Information Technology) support. So, that puts more money in the hands of people.
“The second one is that our pension scheme has accumulated a lot of money, and that pension scheme now requires people to pay 12% of their salaries from the employers’ side.
“So, I think you can reduce the amount the people are contributing for a one-year period or six months to allow more money.
“That way, immediately from the next month’s salary, another N10,000, or N5,000, as the case may be, enters into the pockets of the people who go to work every day. They are able to pay their transportation fare because they need to go to work tomorrow. We can’t wait till you take a decision (on ministerial appointments) to ameliorate the suffering,” he said.
