It’s insensitive for leaders to drive around in long convoys – Soludo

It’s insensitive for leaders to drive around in long convoys – Soludo

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has berated his colleague governors and other top government officials still driving around in a long convoy of cars in the wake of petrol subsidy removal.

He said it had become insensitive for state governors to be riding around town in convoys of “20-something cars”.

The governor spoke with State House correspondents after a five-hour National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja on Thursday.

According to him, the issue along with flamboyant lifestyle by political leaders and high cost of governance took the centre stage in their discussion at the meeting.

The meeting was called mainly to discuss the rising prices of petrol after fuel subsidy resulting in the high cost of living.

Soludo said, “I think it’s an omnibus concept, and it’s not something you sit down in a meeting to legislate for each and every state.

“But the fact that the council recognises that this is an issue that each tier of government should now focus on as an area of concern.

“Even the cost of running the state; the way we even live; someone gave an example of a state governor going with 20-something vehicles in a convoy and all these have to be fuelled.”

He added that governors and members of council spoke to themselves about how everyone must adhere to the austerity measures of the times and partake in the sacrifices being asked of the people.

“Gentlemen, we would need to be sensitive to the times; we need to live within the average of the people that we’re governing,” he stated.

He added that the council discussed the possibility of negotiating a new minimum wage, amid high cost of living.