Subsidy Removal: My Take

I sincerely believe that there is a lot more about the whole issue of fuel subsidy removal than immediately meets the eye. I believe that it is more than government wanting to make more money, and more than the poor being subjected to more sufferings. It is really the beginning of a revolution. My understanding of this particular revolution is probably different from that of the Arab Spring.
I tend to think that President Goodluck has not said everything, no more than wisdom may demand. 
There was a time that an audit of the teachers in primary schools was to be carried out. Local government chairmen gave inflated figures of the teachers that they had in the expectation that their subvention would be increased. The federal government decided to take those figures as were given but rather than give the monies to the LGAs, they rather subtracted the salaries based on the figures from the LGAs subvention so that they could pay the teachers DIRECTLY. We are all aware of the resultant effects.

Have you wondered why the FRSC decided and insisted on going on with the change in number plates despite the objection of the NASS? 
For too long, the figures that have been brandished as basis for looting our treasuries have continued unabated. For too long, this government has tried almost unsuccessfully to contain these evils so as to put this country on the right track. For too long, we the "common people" have either ignorantly connived with, or inadvertently been used or taken advantage of by the supposed smart ones that cook or contrive these figures to our detriment. Efforts by any government to change the game has been resisted by these high and mighty principalities. 
To the common man, the present efforts by the federal government are seen as another attempt to continue the dance with a new set of dancers knowing that it was past governments that created these principalities in the first place.
Bottom line, the people feel that nothing good can come out of the present exercise, moreso when you can actually point to one or two acts that appear to have been not contentious on the issue. 
My take? Let the number plates be changed. Within a year, we will have a good idea of the number of cars that we have in this country. Let's face the subsidy challenge so that we know the exact consumption capacity of this country. We all want Mr President to be man enough to take the bull by the horns and crack down on the cabal. Maybe, just maybe, this is a hornless bull that may require a cowboy rope being swung at it to strangulate it.
My take? With the subsidy off, facts will come out and figures will emerge. It may turn out to be the real beginning of a true revolution as questions will be asked and explanations will have to be made as to how the past figures came to be in the first place. It will reveal who the perpetuators and conspirators of this national ripoff have been.
My take? It will likely become a wild fire that may consume the era of impunity -if, and only if we are able to discern the signs of the times and beat the distractions.
My take? A new era is dawning to bring back men and women of integrity to manage our affairs which could yet herald a new administrative system and governance for this country.
My humble submission therefore is for us to look beyond the 'politics', and focus on nationhood. Let us all come up with constructive criticisms, and bright ideas. I have personally looked at the palliatives that have been proposed and I am not satisfied with the non inclusion of Housing in the implementation schedule. 
The first leg of the mass transportation component of the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment (SURE) program should be immediately activated (within weeks if not days). Adequate numbers of fuel efficient mass transit busses should be provided within the next few days in all major cities of the country for the daily transportation of the masses at controlled prices.
Concerning the hike on the prices of food stuff, there ought not to be a remarkable price increase since they are largely transported by vehicles that largely use diesel and not petrol. We would therefore appeal to the food vendors not to take undue advantage of this situation by astronomically increasing the price of food items, thereby increasing the hardship on Nigerians.

Finally, I find it pertinent to draw the attention of the government to the critical role that Housing plays as the highest employer of labour. Housing must therefore form a major segment of the palliatives. Seeing that we spend over 60% of our income on accommodation. In considering quick wins, hardly is any other measure quicker than Housing. A Housing project can commence in weeks if not days. To ensure that the target is the low income earner (for whom the palliatives primarily target), Social Housing Rental Apartment should be constructed across the country on the Target Needs Based template that has been developed to guarantee that only the targeted group benefits.
This is not the time for war, nor the time for blind trust. It is the time to make informed demands and claim our rights. It is the time to hold the government to deliver on all the promises on the palliatives. It is the time to hold the new board to improve on the days of the PTF. 
It is time for us to take this revolution to the next level by beaming the searchlight on other areas of our economy that will give us value and set us as a nation to the path of sustainable development.
This may not be the time to be up in arms, rather, it is definitely the time to 'shine our eyes', and FIX OUR EYES ON THE BALL.
I sincerely believe that if we are careful to seize the moment, we would have finally begun the journey to a prosperous nation.
This is my humble take.

Arc Nya-Etok Ezekiel.
Nigeria