Jonathan, Suspend Withdrawal Of Fuel Subsidy For Now

Despite President Goodluck Jonathan’s plea to organised labour and the civil society coalition not to embark on the ongoing strike, the latter had their way as the strike and demonstrations commenced throughout the country yesterday in earnest.

By all measures, the strike was a success as commercial activities were paralysed throughout the country. Though two persons were killed during the demonstrations, one in Lagos and the other in Kano, the strike was largely peaceful in most parts of the country.

The huge turnout of Nigerians which cuts across the social, political and economic stratas in the state capitals should by now have convinced the president that his decision to remove subsidy on petrol is an unpopular one.

That organised labour and the civil society coalition chose to ignore the president on his plea for understanding on the issue shows the contempt they have for the president over the matter.

We are also not surprised, considering the disdain with which they were treated when the president decided to execute the policy on the first day of the year without carrying them along. What labour and other Nigerians were made to understand is that the policy will not come into effect until April after adequate consultations must have been made with relevant stakeholders.

But the president in his infinite stupidity decided to fast track the implementation of the policy by moving it forward. Nigerians responded by trooping to the streets to express their rejection of the policy which they feel will further pauperise them.

The large turnout of Nigerians who are demonstrating against the removal of fuel subsidy and the passion they demonstrated against it should send a message to Jonathan that the policy has already failed and that the people will not embrace it.

President Jonathan should take heed of this and prevent the loss of more lives during the demonstrations by suspending the withdrawal of fuel subsidy for now.

To generate more money for his government to finance capital expenditure which he hinged his decision to remove fuel subsidy on, we advise the president to look inward.

By this, we mean he should cut down on the outrageous cost of governance. Good enough, the president has realised this and has directed a 25 percent cut in the basic salaries of political appointees and further directed a cut in foreign travels.

To us, this is not enough. The president can save the country more money to finance capital expenditure if he reduces the number of his ministers, special advisers, assistants and agencies of government performing similar functions.

There is no reason why we should have a substantive minister and a minister of state for government ministries. Salaries and allowances of political office holders and members of the National Assembly should also be reduced drastically. There is no reason why the the President of the Senate of a third world country like ours should be earning more than the President of the United States.

Our suggestion is that the belt tightening should start from the top. Let the government cut down drastically on the remunerations and allowances of all political office holders before asking the masses to make more sacrifices.

The present government should also take the fight against corruption more seriously and plug all the loopholes exploited by public officers to steal from government coffers.

The account of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, should be audited and made public. There is too much corruption there.

We believe that the government will generate more money from these cost saving measures to build more roads, hospitals, provide electricity and make life more abundant for the people instead of increasing the suffering of the people.