Rich country, poor people

They should be told that the
electorate are aware that the subsidy
is an evidence inefficiency, poor
perception and a fallout of the
Federal Government’s inability to
harness the black gold under
Nigeria’s soil for the optimal benefit
of the people.
This is the 13th year of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) in power at
federal level, it is bereft of ideas to
make the nation’s four refineries
produce at full capacity not to talk of
building a new one.
Is it not a shame that Africa’s largest
oil producer is importing bleached
products to augment the shortfall of
home production for local
consumption. The governors want
to take back from workers the
increase in salary in form of hike in
fuel prices. They have forgotten that
those in the private sector and the
self-employed may have to wait for
sometime before the spiraling whirl
on the new minimum salary pool
reaches them.
As transport is central to the
economic activities of the nation,
any hike in the price of petroleum
products will undoubtedly kick-start
a fresh rise in inflation that may toe
the path of hyper-inflation that
would send the economy into tail
spin.
In a word, the Federal
Government’s incessant claim of
paying huge amount of subsidy on
bleached products consumed in the
country is a ruse and blackmail
against the people. If those in power
are proactive and proved
resourceful, Nigeria supposed to be
exporting bleached products and
not crude oil as it is the practice
now. Malaysia and Indonesia are
endowed with oil as Nigeria but their
people pay far less for fuel than
Nigerians.
From whichever perspective one
may look at it, the present system
of national cake sharing is not, to all
intent and purposes, fair. It is
lopsided. The executives at the
various tiers of government and the
legislators are taking the lion share,
leaving little or crumbs for capital
development and workers. Their
productivity is not commensurate
with what they take from the
nation’s pool.
The Central Bank Governor, Lamido
Sanusi’s declaration last year that
members of the National Assembly
– the Senate and House of
Representatives consumed more
than 50 per cent of the concurrent
expenditure of the federal annual
budget was an exposee. The
lawmakers’ only defence of
devouring the nation’s collective
wealth is that the ministers, aides
and advisers to the president are
also taking mind-boggling salaries
and allowances. In a word,
government in Nigeria is for profit.
Any other claim is nothing but
deceit.
In Britain, there are many
government workers earning more
than the prime minister not to talk of
other ministers tagged secretaries
and advisers.
Is it not regrettable that Nigeria is
rich but her people are poor.
Insensitive government you say.
•Concluded