FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL
Over the past few days, Nigeria has witnessed what could turn out to be one of our biggest blessings if well handled. The political and social spaces have been opened up like never before and people have freely vented their anger, grievances, concerns, and all. As often happens in times like these, others have seen it as a platform to make nonsense of the word 'respect'.
In my earlier take, I was clear on my preference for the removal of the fuel subsidy for reasons I had earlier enumerated. Over the days, I have had more cause to reinforce my belief for the following reasons:
1). Era of Impunity
When this standoff is resolved, the President would have realized in no small measure, the power of the people. With such realization, he will have no option but to reinforce his determination to ensure that his government actually performs for the public good. He will be compelled to prove that he knew what he was talking about concerning the gains of this policy, and will seek to prove that he is a man of his words. While that is going on, Labour will look for microscope to fish out every failed promise to tell Nigerians that they also knew what they were talking about. The resultant effect will be a new era of accountability and the death of the era of impunity in Nigeria.
2). Protecting the poor.
I am amazed at how the high and mighty have overnight become the defenders of the poor. When a visitor cries more than the bereaved, it is time to take a second look. Is this fight really for, or about the poor, or are the poor being used again? If the price of fuel is to go up, the likelihood is that people will abandon those mighty fuel guzzling SUVs and go for the more fuel efficient brands -which is what happened in the USA. In the event of that happening, what will happen to the car dealers who had found a dumping ground for such cars in Nigeria? Are car dealers crying for the poor? Are the rich men that will have to pay a lot more crying for the poor? Are we really crying for the poor? Is transportation the only problem of the poor? How many of those I see daily on the platforms screaming their heads off, have built or renovated the sorry dilapidated primary schools in their villages, or set up schemes to benefit the poor jobless school leavers around them? How many of them are paying school fees for the poor and less privileged around them? Pleeeeeese!
3). Bad Politics -The Fashola Effect:
I couldn't believe my ears when I overheard a conversation. "if this man is allowed to actually fulfil all these things that he has promised in the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Program, we will be in trouble. Remember the "Fashola effect", he will be forced by the masses to run in 2015. We can't let that happen" This is preposterous! For how long will we put political interest far above national interest. Is this the reason that some politicians are fuelling the anti-fuel subsidy removal campaign? All along, I had been led to believe they were driven by nationalistic sentiments and love for the less privileged. Was I being naive and ignorant?
4). Labour's Posture:
The level of disrespect that has been accorded the exalted office of THE PRESIDENT of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unacceptable by any stretch of imagination. We now very freely refer to him as Goodluck or Jonathan as if he's the boy next door.For crying out loud, that man is a father, he is an elder, he is OUR PRESIDENT! I doubt that any American youth will go on an American network program and talk about Barrack! Where they don't want to say "our President", they usually say "the President", or "Mr President" or even "Mr Obama". Secondly, it is not wise to demystify leadership. We may not always agree with the President, but having elected him to that office, it implies that we believe that he is responsible enough to lead us and make decisions on our behalf. Shouting abuses at him, disrespecting him and calling him all sorts of unprintable names and clamouring to see him on his knees, swallow his words, have his tail between his legs, is , in my opinion, unwise. You can lead the masses to express their concerns in a wise and civilized manner. Sometimes, the president could be wrong. If we are to learn from the biblical injunction that we rebuke not an elder but entreat him, then we may seek an alternative way of presenting an elder's fault without being insulting, while not being denied our rights.
5). The Economy:
I am one of those that believe that the best way to stimulate the economy is to apply what I call the raindrops effect. Rather that one man called federal government, giving N1.3trillion to twenty or so men to do whatever import they purport to do, let that man give that money, even in bits, to 36 states, and 774 LGAs. No matter how corrupt the distribution channels or mechanism, more grass will be watered.
6). War Against Corruption:
People have said that the government should fight corruption FIRST before removal of fuel subsidy. Fellow Nigerians, is this not by every and any stretch of imagination the BIGGEST corruption?have you wondered why the fight back is so vehement and vociferous? Does it make sense to first plug smaller holes in a leaking container before we then plug a big hole? This, in my opinion, is the visible beginning of the fight against the barons of corruption. We must ensure that it not only succeeds but is followed by decisive action on confronting all the rest, regardless of whose ox is gored.
When the CBN governor told us that the national assembly uses about 25% of the annual budget, one cannot help but wonder why Labour did not build on our collective outrage to call for protests to insist on a reduction. Why the selective response? Is fuel subsidy the proverbial tiger's tail that you touch to your own peril? Is it the foundation upon which other corrupt institutions are built? Should this tiger not be wrestled to the ground and killed once and for all?
Secondly, I'm told that Finance Minister and CBN Governor have said that investigations into the subsidy scandal will be conducted and that culprits will be prosecuted. I sincerely hope that this is true. If it were, then the countdown, truly, has begun.
7). Mr President:
If you have been patient to read up until now, then you are either a government apologist, a neutral mind that will like to hear all sides of the argument, or a very patient "other side", or it could be that you are trying very hard to give me some respect. Whichever is the case, I feel honored, God Bless You.
Yes, Mr President, nothing is as good as a listening President. Cutting 25% of BASIC pay? Haba! In all this fight, two issues stand out.
A)Like every body has been saying, we don't trust government. In this, I think it was quite wise of Mr President to look for men that we can trust to oversee the implementation of SURE program, like he looked for Professor Jega for INEC to handle the elections . I pay him full compliments for this act of integrity.
B). Self sacrifice: does he really need all the components of the food, the medicals, the entourage, the allowances? Does he? Could he prove to us that these were done without your knowledge as you must, understandably, entrust people with such responsibilities by cutting down substantially? In normal times, some frivolities could be overlooked. Considering the mood of the nation, should he not consider a rethink on the budget for running the Presidency in 2012?
I believe that the removal of the fuel subsidy policy is in our ULTIMATE INTEREST as a nation.
I believe that the handling of the policy was rather tacky, and that people were seemingly taken for granted.
I believe that the fury of the masses is informed and understandable -not withstanding the ulterior motives of the overnight defenders of the masses.
I believe that a policy reversal will ultimately come to haunt government, distract the President, and create a leadership vacuum that will do us more harm
I believe that the President needs to, as a listening President, within days, demonstrate to Nigerians in the loudest possible way that he has heard our cries and DRASTICALLY CUT DOWN ON THE COST OF GOVERNANCE AS IS WITHIN HIS CONTROL. The Mr Orasanya panel report is not what we are talking about here. You don't need the report of merging parastatals to reduce the convoys, estacodes, travel mode, or the pecks in the Villa.
Housing:
This writeup will be incomplete if I didn't bring to the notice of Mr. President of the biggest concerns of this common man that we are all seeking to protect. It is the problem of HOUSING. Housing is conspicuously missing in the SURE program. These people, as with every Nigerian, spend as much as 50-70% of their income on rents. The governments at all levels should invest a minimum of 20% from the subsidy removal savings on building rental apartments in Social Housing schemes across the three tiers of government. This will also guarantee instant jobs for the youths thus making it double win-win for the price of one for both the government and the people.
I believe that if the submission is considered, the revolution towards greatness would truly have begun for Nigeria.
8). The fallout:
Today, people are downloading the budget and literally studying it. The youths are starting to ask questions and making inputs. The eventual governance is becoming richer and inclusive. The young graduates who prior to this time had little or no interest in affairs of governance, are the ones analyzing the budgets. This, fellow Nigerians, is good for us.
This, is my stand, fellow Nigerians.
Arc Nya-Etok Ezekiel
Nigeria.
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