Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has declared support for the decision by President Bola Tinubu to remove petrol subsidy upon assuming power in 2023.
Gumi also warned against restoring petrol subsidy, arguing that it could encourage corruption and looting of public funds.
Naija News reports that the cleric spoke during an interview with PAPShow in response to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s promise to restore the subsidy if elected president.
While maintaining that bringing back the subsidy is not the best course of action, Gumi added that removing subsidies without adequate support for poor Nigerians has also caused hardship.
He therefore urged the government to increase social spending to protect vulnerable citizens.
Gumi also called on the government to tackle corruption to ensure public funds are not diverted.
“If you reopen the subsidy system without first tackling corruption, you may simply create another opportunity for the diversion of public funds.
“There is nothing wrong with removing subsidies and increasing social spending to compensate vulnerable citizens. But when you remove subsidies without adequately compensating the poor through social interventions, you create serious hardship,” he said.
He cautioned against restoring the fuel subsidy policy without addressing corruption.
“Similarly, bringing back subsidies without addressing endemic corruption would amount to throwing money into a well,” he said.
