President of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Prince Kehinde Taiga, has called on President Muhammedu Buhari to halt the proposed removal of fuel subsidy by 2022.
He said rather than remove fuel subsidy, the president should focus on how to improve the standard of living of Nigerians, revive the nation’s refineries, increase minimum wage and get the economy working again.
in a statement he made available to Emerald News, Taiga said such action will reduce hardship and suffering which Nigerian people are presently passing through in their quest for survival.
He said: “As a group, we call for the halt of this move in this perilous times that we find ourselves. A time where the Nigerian people can’t cope with the continuous rising inflation.
“It is ridiculous to note that the federal government in the aftermath of the projected removal of about N2trillion subsidies planned to spend N5,000 each on 40million supposed poorest Nigerians to cushion the effect (increment of fuel price to N340 per litre by February, 2022.)
“It is disheartening to note that among the members of OPEC, Nigeria is the only country that does not refine its oil at home and yet our successive ruling class has been sabotaging all efforts in making our refineries functional and effective.
“Making our refineries functional and working won’t only reduce the pump price of PMS, it will create more employments and revitalize our power sector.
“We call on the President Buhari led federal government to urgently do everything within their power to revive our dead refineries and get them working again, so that we can refine our crude oil and be able to sell PMS at a very cheap and affordable price to our people.”
On the Lagos state judicial panel of enquiry report on the #ENDSARS protest at the Lekki toll gate and the white paper response of the state government, Taiga commended the Lagos state government for not interfering in the proceedings of the panel throughout the entire process.
He said: “Considering the panel report and the acceptance of 11 out of the 32 recommendations made by the Retired Justice Doris Okuwobi led judicial panel, it is important that the governor summon the needed courage and ensure justice is served where necessary.
He said the culprits should never be swept under the carpet, so that the gap of mistrust between the government and the people won’t continue to widen.
He said: “We also note the call of Governor Sanwo-Olu for a peace walk within this December. But we say that it is of no use to arrange for a peace walk when justice hasn’t been served as expected.”
He also commended the continuous efforts of the Delta State governor, Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa in making sure that he leaved the state better than the way he met it.
He commended the governor for continually promoting human rights, giant strides in infrastructural development, most notably the commissioning of the multi-billion naira Prof Chike Edozien decretariat complex for civil servants and the 8.5 mega watts Asaba Independent Power Plant (IPP) among many other developmental projects.
He said: “Of a truth, Governor Okowa has done well and I believe and hope that he will finish his tenure strong.”
He called on Nigerians to be hopeful and believe that “things will get better in our country and we must all continue to do our best in making sure we add our collective effort to making the great Nigeria of our dream a reality.”
BELOW IS THE STATEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT RELEASED TODAY WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER, 2021 BY COMR. DR. PRINCE KEHINDE TAIGA THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR), NIGERIA
Distinguished Comrades, Fellow Nigerians.
I bring you greetings on behalf of the entire members of the National Executive Committee of our noble organization as we begin this new month of December, 2021 believing that it will be a successful, prosperous and a blessed month to us all.
We thank Almighty God for giving us all this wonderful privilege to be counted among the living that will be carrying out his divine mandate in speaking up for the ones who can’t speak for themselves, protecting the rights of those that are helpless and those that are poor and needy among us as recorded in the Holy Bible of Proverbs 31 vs 8 & 9 on this very first day of the last month of this year 2021.
I must salute our individual doggedness despite the numerous and countless number of challenges that have come our way these past months, yet we are all still standing in hope for a better Nigeria that we all dream and desire. We are indeed grateful to God for all he has done.
I want to use this medium to once again invite the entire members of CDHR and other interested Nigerians to our organization’s Human Rights Conference and Leadership Training with the theme: “Citizen’s participation in good governance for sustainable development: Lagos State as case study” on Saturday 11th of December, 2021 at the Rovers Hotel and suite, Abule Egba, Lagos State Nigeria. This program will provide the opportunity for all our patriotic members and other members of all interested Civil Society Organizations to acquaint themselves with the principal task of activism in our present day, as we will be having seasoned and thoroughly bred Human Rights Speakers that will be present to deliver address and teachings on respective topics as it relates to Human Rights, good governance, Landlord and tenancy laws.
I therefore urge all our units across the Federation to continue their registration process for the Conference through the National Treasurer Comr. Roy Olokungboye, the National General Secretary Comr. Chikwendu James or through the National Publicity Secretary Comr Gerald Katchy.
I want to assure that as your National President and Chief host of this epoch occasion, I look forward to seeing you all there.
It is therefore pertinent at this junction to call on the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to as a matter of urgency halt the proposed intention to remove fuel subsidy by 2022 and focus more on how to improve the standard of living of Nigerians, revive our refineries, increase minimum wage and get our economy working again so that hardship and suffering won’t be imposed on the Nigerian people by the singular move.
As a group, we call for the halt of this move in this perilous times that we find ourselves. A time where the Nigerian people can’t cope with the continuous rising inflation. It is ridiculous to note that the FG government in the aftermath of the projected removal of about 2trillion subsidies planned to spend #5,000 each on 40million supposed poorest Nigerians to cushion the effect (increment of fuel price to #340 per litre by February, 2022) of the subsidy removal as hinted by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed. It is disheartening to note that among the members of OPEC, Nigeria is the only country that doesn’t refine its oil at home and yet our successive ruling class has been sabotaging all efforts in making our refineries functional and effective. Making our refineries functional and working won’t only reduce the pump price of PMS, it will create more employments and revitalize our power sector.
We call on the President Buhari led Federal Government to urgently do everything within their power to revive our dead refineries and get them working again, so that we can refine our crude oil and be able to sell PMS at a very cheap and affordable price to our people.
On the Lagos State Judicial Panel of enquiry report of the #ENDSARS protest at the lekki toll gate of 20th October, 2020 and the white paper response of the State government to the panel report.
We want to first of all commend the H.E Babajide Sanwo-olu led Lagos State government for not in any way interfering in the proceedings of the panel throughout the entire process and for making sure the panel had the needed support they need to thrive through the process.
Considering the panel report and the acceptance of 11 out of the 32 recommendations made by the Retired Justice Doris Okuwobi led judicial panel, it is important that the governor must summon the needed courage in making sure justice is duly served where necessary and never to allow the culprits be swept under the carpet, so that the gap of mistrust among the government and the people won’t continue to widen. We also note the call of governor Sanwo-olu for a peace walk within this December, but we say that it is of no use to arrange for a peace walk when justice hasn’t been served as expected. So, there can’t be a peace walk without JUSTICE.
As I draw the curtain down on the press statement of today, I want to use this time to commend the continuous efforts of the Delta State governor, Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa in making sure that he lives the state better than the way he met it as he continue to promote human rights defence, giant strides in infrastructural development, most notably the commissioning of the multibillion naira Prof Chike Edozien Secretariat Complex for Civil Servants and the 8.5 mega watts Asaba Independent Power Plant (IPP) among many other developmental projects. Of a truth, governor Okowa has done well so far and I believe and hope that he will finish his tenure strong.
Fellow Nigerians, in a time like this with regards to our economy and standard of living, we all need need to be hopeful that things will get better in our country and we must all continue to do our best in making sure we add our collective effort to making the great Nigeria of our dream a reality.
As I believe that with unity of purpose we will together make our nation a better place if we don’t give up in the face of the challenging time we are faced presently.
To all my fellow gallant CDHR comrades, I salute your courage, support and vigour in standing with the entire members of NEC ably led by me even in the face of the turbulent times we are facing, as we continue to make moves that will correct some abnormalities within the organization and making sure we leave the organization far more better than we met it. You are all the real MVPs and I thank you all for your patriotism. See you all at the Conference in Lagos State.
I wish us all a successful, prosperous and a joyous December, 2021.
Yours in the Struggle,
Comr Dr. Prince Kehinde Taiga.
CDHR National President.
