PETROL AGONY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Every time there is an increase in fuel price, it is always common sight to see motorist queuing up in fuel stations both in the morning and in the evening, and many who are brave enough to face the challenges of sleeping overnight at fuel stations also take the risks. The whole economy becomes grounded. International industries, refineries, as well as local entrepreneurs close down their factories because of the strain to cope with the ever increasing prices of fuel.

Commercial drivers and other road transport workers make use of this opportunity to increase their fares by over 100 percent thereby extorting the Nigerian People.

Greed is as old as the human race and you are a victim of greed just as I am. It is said that subsidy is the President and other petroleum minister use this opportunity to sift people as a substitute for service. The Federal government however argues that removing the subsidies, which are estimated to cost $8bn a year, would allow the government to spend money on badly needed public projects across Nigeria, with its cratered roads, little electricity and a lack of water, infrastructure and other resources. Nevertheless, many of us still remain suspicious of government as military rulers and politicians have plundered government budgets since independence from Britain in 1960.

Nigeria is the sixth largest producing nation of oil in the world but this fact is hardly noticeable with the economic trend in the nation. In the wake of the recent struggle over the subsidy removal, the Federal Government needs to adopt a strategy to win the public and not engage in unjustifiable propaganda that eventually leads to protest and pandemonium in the nation.

We understand that any member of the public who bought petrol or used petrol bought at N65 per litre (now N97 per litre) benefitted from the PSF and was a beneficiary of subsidy and that 90% of petrol consumed in Nigeria is imported due to inadequate and limited local production.

Nonetheless, we have no hope in our leaders as they have failed us countless times. If they say this is indeed a democratic regime which means the government should be by the people, of the people and for the people, then it suffices to say that the Federal Government needs to implement its budget in a way and manner that it will not tamper with the lives of innocent Nigerians.