Governor Ayodele Fayose has faulted the federal government’s plans to remove fuel subsidy next year and revert the pump price of premium motor spirit popularly called petrol, to N97 per litre; N10 more than the current official pump price.
He also condemned the Federal Government’s advice to Nigerians to brace up for tougher times in 2016, saying the call was “callous and wicked”.
Governor Fayose described the plans as anti-people, saying it would further impoverish the living standard of Nigerians.
He made the remark in his office after signing six bills, including the N67billion 2016 appropriation bill into law.
The other bills were Ekiti state College of Technology and Commercial Agriculture; Ekiti state anti-Terrorism and Kidnap law, Ekiti state 2015 Revised appropriation law and Ekiti state Regency Law.
The 2016 appropriation bill was passed by the assembly a week after it was presented to the state legislature for approval.
The approved budget is made up of N42.1 billion for recurrent expenditure and N24.9 billion for capital expenditure.
The governor, who commended the lawmakers for the quick passage of the bill, however, directed that copies of the budget be made and sent to all the anti-graft agencies to enable them monitor the execution of the document.
While decrying the harsh economic conditions Nigerians are passing through, Fayose alleged that the APC-led federal government did not have the solution to the nation’s myriad of problems and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to quit, in order to allow more competent person to take over.
He said, “I appeal to everybody to allow peace in the state. If we don’t have political unrest, the state will be at peace. It is politicians that are creating problems”.
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Kola Oluwawole, said the approved budget would not only empower the people of the state, but also make life more meaningful for them.
Oluwawole explained that the Assembly wasted no time in passing the bill because its members were involved right from its conception and pledged that the assembly would continue to partner the executive in implementing policies that will improve the standard of living of the people.
