On the first of 1st January 2012, while a lot of people were basking in the euphoria of witnessing a new year, the President through the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), gave Nigerians a new year’s gift, one that Nigerians will not want to forget in a hurry. A gift intended to plunge Nigerians into unquantifiable hardship. The gift was of course the removal of fuel subsidy. Nigerians however did not want this gift. This they manifested by their stiff opposition and thus thronged out in large numbers, occupying cities in different parts of the country. Nigerians said a capital no, to these anti people policy of government
I must state quite frankly that, after the declaration of a state of emergency in certain parts of the country, I knew government was up to something. But I just didn’t know what they were up to. Isn't it a common knowledge that government has been relatively unpopular in recent times, among the people of Nigeria, due to the security challenges threatening the unity of this country? The idea therefore, was to declare a state of emergency in perceived trouble spots to appease the people and then hit them with your surprise package. Unfortunately for the government however, Nigerians were least impressed by that move. This was expressed in massive turnout we had during the protests.
The action of government confirms one point, that interest of the people do not matter and is not considered when taking decisions of great national importance. This accounts for why government announced the removal of fuel subsidy despite wise counsel from eminent Nigerians that the planned removal should be shelved. I have not ceased wondering why government shunned dialogue with labour and other interest groups before announcing the removal. Why did government not implement some of the policies to cushion the effect of the removal before announcing it? Was government daring the people or did it intend to play a fast one on the people? These are some of the questions government must answer. Government’s argument in support of the removal of fuel subsidy is that subsidy has risen to a level that government cannot continue to pay for it. Is it not an open secret that corruption accounts for this meteoric rise? Why didn’t government checkmate the corruption that has eaten deep into the petroleum sector before removing the so called subsidy? Instead it chose to transfer the burden to Nigerians, seeking to make them pay for government’s ineptitude in fighting corruption? The same corruption accounts for why we are importing refined petroleum products after over fifty years of the discovery of oil.
The President made a feeble attempt to douse mounting tension by announcing a 25% cut in the salary of members of the executive branch of government. Someone should please tell Mr. President that Nigerians will not buy that because 25% cut in salaries will not affect these people in anyway, because they still enjoy fat allowances. Besides, the President Does not have the power to do so constitutionally it is only the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission that can do so. So it is clearly an attempt to hoodwink the people. This is therefore a call on the people be on their guard in order not to be swayed by this rhetoric.
During the protests, we lost a lot of comrades to trigger happy police officers, who derive pleasure in snuffing out life out of armless people in a bid to show superiority I believe. Let me state emphatically here that these comrades will not die in vain. President Jonathan must be made to account for these deaths. The police officers were apparently acting as agents of the President. He should therefore face prosecution for crimes against humanity. Such prosecution will serve as a deterrent to other leaders don’t send men with live ammunition to maim and kill armless protesters exercising their constitutional rights. One must commend Nigerians for their forthrightness and the orderly manner they conduct themselves during the protest. The same was expected of government and the police, but we all know what we got.
While negotiations were deadlocked, government unilaterally announced a new price of N97. This was apparently done to pitch labour against the people. One must confess that they succeeded to an extent because the strike was later suspended by labour. How can you commit a wrong in order to correct a previous wrong? The manner, in which he announced the removal of fuel subsidy, is the same manner he adopted in announcing the new price. Things are done like that in a democracy. Or is our democracy different from the one practiced around the world?
We are however resolute and undaunted in our opposition to the new price announced by government. I call on Nigerians and fellow patriots to go back to the streets until government reverts back to N65, until government means what it says and says what it means. The inglorious days when Nigerians allow themselves to be fooled by government are over. Where is government getting the money to subsidize the current price of N97? Will the economy of the country not collapse again if subsidy is not removed? God bless Nigeria.
Frank O. ijege
frankijege@yahoo.com
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