Belgore, Kolade head presidential panels on fuel subsidy

Embattled President Goodluck Jonathan has raised an 11-man high-powered team to meet with labour and civil society over the New Year day cut in fuel subsidy. The committe is headed by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Alfa Belgore.

In addition, the president has appointed respected former Chairman, Cadbury Nigeria PLC as Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme Board.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said the President also constituted a high-powered committee headed by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Alfa Belgore, to meet with organized labour and all other stakeholders in the petroleum industry to attempt to resolve issues pertaining to the petrol subsidy removal.

Aso Rock spokesperson, Reuben Abati, said the Kolade Board, which has one time Minister of Works and Housing, Mamman Kontagora, as Deputy, wouls oversee the effective and timely implementation of projects to be funded with the savings expected by the Federal Government from the subsidy removal.
Other members of the Board include two representatives each of the National Assembly and organized labour, while the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Nigerian Union of Journalists, Nigerian Women Groups, Nigerian youth and civil society organizations will have one representative each.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance as well as the Ministers of National Planning and Petroleum Resources, the Minister of State for Health, the Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters and six other individuals from the country