A NATIONAL Leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Chike Okogwu, has backed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected president.
Okogwu, a former member of the Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), said any new subsidy regime should address weaknesses in the previous system.
He spoke in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, a reworked subsidy system should be transparent, targeted and supported by digital monitoring mechanisms.
Okogwu, who represented Persons with Disabilities on the SURE-P Board from 2012 to 2015, said the programme offered lessons for future subsidy policies.
He said SURE-P was established following the 2012 fuel subsidy reforms to channel savings into infrastructure and social programmes.
He listed transportation, healthcare, employment, maternal and child health, vocational training, roads, bridges and rail among areas supported by the programme.
Okogwu cited the Second Niger Bridge and Loko-Oweto Bridge as examples of projects that received SURE-P funding.
While acknowledging the programme’s shortcomings, he said its achievements should also be considered in assessing its impact.
“Was SURE-P perfect? No. Was there room for improvement? Absolutely,” he said.
Okogwu said the Federal Government component of SURE-P should be distinguished from structures operating at the state and local levels.
He said Nigeria’s digital financial infrastructure could strengthen monitoring and accountability if subsidy was reintroduced.
He suggested using the Bank Verification Number (BVN), alongside other lawful identity systems, to verify beneficiaries where direct household support was involved.
He also proposed digitally tracking petroleum products from refineries through depots and transportation networks to filling stations.
According to him, independent audits and regular publication of subsidy expenditure would improve transparency and public confidence.
Okogwu said rising fuel prices had increased costs across transportation, food production, agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors.
He urged policymakers to consider vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, the elderly, widows, students, farmers and low-income households.
He also advocated measures to encourage domestic refining and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.
On the proposed reopening of Nigeria’s land borders, Okogwu supported a controlled approach that would facilitate legitimate trade while curbing smuggling.
He called for periodic reviews of any subsidy programme to determine its continued economic and social relevance.
Okogwu said the experience of SURE-P underscored the need to link public expenditure with measurable outcomes.
He urged policymakers to retain useful elements of previous programmes while addressing their weaknesses through stronger monitoring and accountability.
He said the success of any future subsidy policy should ultimately be measured by its impact on the cost of living and the welfare of Nigerians. (NAN)
