The director-general, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garba Abari, on Wednesday, urged NOA state directors to redouble their efforts to sensitise Nigerians on the fuel subsidy removal.

Mr Abari gave the advice in Abuja while engaging 36 NOA directors on the agency’s advocacy and sensitisation strategies on fuel subsidy removal.

“We need to sustain the sensitisation on subsidy removal as well as the advocacy to get public buy-in.

“The recent price hike in the price per litre of petrol is being seen by the public as another increase in the price of petrol,’’ the NOA chief said.

According to him, this is a wrong impression and the public needs to be re-oriented on this perspective.

“What is actually happening is the new reality in the petroleum industry eco-system under deregulation. Prices will go up and prices will come down, depending on market forces.

“This is the reality under deregulation and the people need to be aware. You as State Directors need to actively seek opportunities to explain this on radio and television,’’ he said

Mr Abari urged the media to support the agency by providing such speaking opportunities as public service in the interest of the country.

“This engagement with directors of the NOA is aimed at enabling feedback on the sensitisation and advocacy carried out so far by the agency across the country on the issue of subsidy removal.

“This will enable us re-evaluate our strategies and re-position ourselves for the great task ahead, as there would no doubt be hardship and the people need to be made aware of why things are happening the way they are happening.

‘’At the end of this engagement we will develop a special report reflecting the situation across the country in the aftermath of the fuel subsidy removal for the benefit of decision makers at the highest levels of government,” he said. 

(NAN)