Governor Hope Uzodimma is set to meet with petroleum products marketers in Imo State to agree on ways to mitigate the effects of the planned removal of subsidy from petroleum products by the government.
President Bola Tinubu had hinted in his inauguration speech on Monday, May 29, 2023, that the federal government will remove the subsidy on petroleum products, a pronouncement that immediately triggered arbitrary hike in the products across the country and return of queues at the filling stations.
The Imo State government is worried about the hardship the citizens are going through since report of the planned removal of the subsidy broke and is poised to ameliorate their suffering.
Governor Uzodimma has promised to meet with the petroleum products marketers on the way forward even as the government said her attention has been drawn to the sharp increases in the price of petroleum products, especially petrol, in the State in the last 24 hours.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba said it is “regrettable that while the federal government has insisted that it has not officially removed subsidy on petroleum products, some marketers in Imo State have rushed to adjust upwards their prices, thus inflicting pain on the poor suffering masses.”
Emelumba wrote: “The government hereby appeals to Petroleum marketers to show compassion in the present circumstance by considering the plight of the ordinary people, particularly because what they are currently dispensing are old stocks they bought before the planned subsidy removal.
“Hiking prices of Petroleum products with products purchased at pre subsidy removal rates clearly amounts to extortion and a sign of inhumanity.
“Government therefore appeals to Petroleum marketers to reconsider this astronomical price increase and adjust the pump price downwards in the interest of the suffering masses.
“The government assures the marketers that His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Executive Governor of Imo State will soon meet with them to explore ways of mitigating the consequences of the planned subsidy removal.”