Asaba — Governor James Ibori of Delta State has described the frequent increases in fuel pump price as “worrisome”, but enjoined the Nigerian masses to be patient since the President has promised to introduce palliative measures to cushion the effect.
Ibori who stated this in Asaba weekend in his goodwill message on the occasion of the celebration of the country’s 44th independence anniversary said “amidst rising public expectation of the capacity of the present system to deliver the dividends of democracy, a number of economic reforms have been put in place. It is only realistic to expect divergent views on the necessities and impact of these reforms in the country. However, I commend the vision of Mr. President for introducing some of these reforms.
“No doubt”, he went on, “the commencement of the implementation of the liberalization of the down-stream sector of the nation’s oil industry has attracted criticisms from the populace. The ordeal we pass through as a result of the fuel pump price increases is no doubt worrisome.
“However, I am confident that government will put in place palliative measures to ameliorate the short term effects of the present increases, so I therefore implore Nigerians to be patient to allow the reforms have their desired impact on the economy of the nation”, he stated.
The governor who was represented by the state deputy governor, Chief Benjamin Elue, also used the opportunity to condemn the action of the Northern governors for challenging the abrogation of the dichotomy bill in court.
According to him “the current trend where political aspirations are promoted along North/South dichotomy regional and ethnic divides must be checked, if we are to make progress as a united people. Our democracy, he continued, must guarantee the rights of all citizens to equal political opportunities in the country. No doubt, the Almighty God has been merciful to us. The country has been spared the ordeals of natural disasters and violent political crises which have been the lot of many countries in the world. But today, our nation is confronted with a number of moral issues. The frustration and discontent in the oil producing states have been further stoked by the resurrection of the onshore offshore dichotomy agitation by leaders from a section of the country.
"I wish then to join other leaders of the south-south geo-political zone to appeal to our brothers from the North to bridge the gap between the north and the south. Indeed, as leaders of a nation that share a common destiny, we need a complete re-orientation to protect the future of this nation”, he added.
