04 January 2012, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) rose fom an emergency meeting chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, with a declaration that it would not reverse its decision on the removal of the subsidy on petrol.
Mr. Labaran Maku, Minister of Information, informed journalists at the end of the meeting at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, that government was not unmindful of the pains being experienced by Nigerians, as a result of the action.
According to him, the Federal Government had commenced a ‘massive mass transit scheme’ to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on transportation.
Maku, who addressed the press alongside the Trade and Investment minister, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; and the Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, stated that under the scheme, thousands of mass transit vehicles are to be distributed.
The meeting, which began at 12.15pm and ended around 3.30pm also had in attendance Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu; and the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, among others.
Absent from the meeting were Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; and Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Dieziani Alison-Madueke.
