Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has disagreed with the Federal Government, expressing that it is impossible for the country to consume 70 million liters in a day.

Saraki disclosed this while speaking with Channels TV on Sunday, stating that in 2011, when the FG said Nigerians were consuming 30 to 35 million Litres a day, the then government under Okonjo Iweala took the necessary steps to reduction in subsidy by about $500 million.

He said. “We said at that time that it was too much, we took steps and made recommendation and the then government under the Ministry of finance, of Okonjo Iweala, took certain steps that resulted in government seeing reduction in subsidy by about $500 million.

“it is not possible for us to consume that amount and for us( Nigeria) to be helpless and say it’s being smuggled to West African nations, we can’t do that, we must look at what Nigerians are going through.

“We were able to get out of subsidy, I do not know what happened later when it was reversed, even if we have to have fuel subsidy, 50% of this can be saved, there is no way we are consuming 70 million litres a day.

“We must change the way it’s being managed, we must ensure the right people, the vulnerable people get it, not for us to subsidise our neighboring countries.”

Independent