There is no gainsaying the fact that the NLC is being hypocritical on their stance as regards fuel subsidy removal. As a matter of fact, I believe that their call for protest against the removal of subsidy was hypocritical considering the fact that they even supported and campaigned for a Presidential candidate who advocated for subsidy removal during electioneering campaign. It only shows that the NLC is not committed to principle and that they are only being a toothless bulldog that they have been as a result of their excessive romance with the ruling elites.
Beyond NLC talks, the Federal Government and, indeed, their apologists are being hypocritical on the arguments they are pushing in support of 300% increment in the pump price of PMS since the removal of fuel subsidy was declared. Their argument that it was only the rich people, not the poor masses with several cars that benefited from fuel subsidy and that the proceeds made from the removal will be used to make life better for the poor people are lies from the pit of hell.
Let’s have this parable. A wealthy man had a mighty house accommodating his large family comprising of his wives, children, nephew, nieces and many other relatives. He also had chambers that provided shelter for visitors, servants and slaves. The wealthy man built a large storehouse where he warehoused food items. These food items were to be prepared by the kitchen cabinet members for the consumption of everyone in the house._
_After some time, some members of staff teamed up and began to steal from the storehouse. The loots were taken to their houses to feed their family outside the wealthy man’s castle while the rest were sold across the streets. In another vein, the inventory officers of the storehouse began to claim to have in stock, items that were never bought and brought into the store. This was used to claim disbursement and reimbursement for purchases that were never done._
_The rich man found out all the mess and carried out an investigation with which he was able to identify the persons behind the scheme. However, in order to deal with the menace, he simply ordered that the storehouse be burnt down and all members of the large house fend for themselves._
In its sane sense, subsidy on fuel being solely beneficial to the rich as a justification for its removal to redistribute resources equitably for improved living standard is a flawed logic. Why must the general public be made to carry the brunt of the failure of the government to arrest the few rich sabotaging the subsidy on fuel? Despite the fact that kerosene and diesel have been deregulated with no subsidy on them for years, it has not translated into gains that benefit the Nigerian people directly. So, it amounts to reckless lie and mere wishful thought to claim that the removal of fuel subsidy would translate into improved funding of social services that the people will directly benefit from. Is this not a government that is keen on increasing tuition fees across tertiary institutions in the country?
I find it embarrassing that activists and students unionists are even spinning narratives in support of the removal of subsidy by saying that the economic pain the people will bear is going to be for a while. But, history has shown us that this is not the truth in any sense of it. Whenever government comes with such austerity measure, things only get worse for the poor while the rich get richer at the expense of the suffering masses.
The government should not just come up to declare subsidy removal as a means of fighting corruption but they must be ready to make everyone who have benefitted from it answerable to the people. The Labour Union and Students body must demand for a living wage of not less than #100,000 for workers, while also letting it clear that Nigerians are against Total Deregulation of the Downstream Sector where the regime of prices is dependent on Oil barons whose only reason for business is profit.
Nigerians want fuel subsidy, but we disgust that it is the rich oil barons that are reaping the funds. So, the call is to probe all the subsidy scams and deficits. Then government must make the three refineries work again so there would be no excuse of the rate of “landing costs” and some other hitches in exporting crude oil, and importing petrol.
