Caleb Onwe 
The Coalition Of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and Labour Centre said the pains Nigerians are going through as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, are temporary sacrifices.
In a communiqué at the end of a town hall meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, the group explained that the removal was a bold decision by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in the interest of the Nigerian people.
Razak Olokoba of the Campaign for Dignity in Governance who read the text of the communiqué noted that in less than two months, the nation saved about N1 trillion, which would have been fritted away in subsidizing fuel.
Olokoba however called for monitoring of the palliatives announced by the president to soothe the temporary pains
being experienced by Nigerians as a result of the removal, “to enhance transparency and accountability.”
The communiqué contended that as the group “call for patience and understanding from Nigerians to be
patient and persevere, our leaders at all levels of government must also cut down on the cost of governance.”
It further called on government at all levels “to put in place social protection policy for vulnerable citizens in line with global best practices,” but advised Nigerians to “be wary of people and groups who want to make political capital out of their economic situation through the propaganda of lies and mischief to mislead and incite.”
The coalition noted that “Nigerians paid a heavy price for the installation of this
democracy through sweat, limb, and blood and would deploy all and any
legitimate means to defend and sustain it.
“Nigerians will resist any attempt to undermine this democracy through any undemocratic means using the instrumentality of the rule
of law as expressed in the fundamental right to peaceful assembly and
rallies by citizens.”
According to the communiqué, the removal of fuel subsidy is necessary and inevitable to save the Nigerian state from economic comatose, adding “that the humongous funds $30 billion being expended on fuel subsidy amounts to a rip off of the Nigerian people.”
The group commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for his policy statements and measures put in place to address the economic
the plight of Lagosians.
Twenty-one groups were represented at the meeting.
