GEJ’s HAPPY NEW YEAR GIFT – THE REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY

Emancipate Nigerian NOW predicted this on December 21 on its blog site and Facebook community page and Group page Emercipate Nigeria NOW: This “subsidy” non-debate BUT a done deal  emercipatenigerianow.blogspot.com.  It seems no one heeded the warning.

With the take-off of deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry on January 1 2012, Nigerians will now have to pay more for fuel. GEJ’s HAPPY NEW YEAR GIFT. In fact, petrol may cost as much as N140 per litre. The statement by Reginald Stanley, Executive Secretary, PPPRA says following extensive consultation with stakeholders across the nation, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) wishes to inform all stakeholders of the commencement of formal removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), in accordance with the powers conferred on the agency by the law establishing it, in compliance with Section 7 of PPPRA Act, 2004”.

Emancipate Nigerian NOW says that this development is traitorous, heartless and tactless, coming at the turn of the year when families have overspent in the festive periods. It is a clear contempt to the plight of the Nigerian masses who are presently at the lowest ebb. All mode of transportation and cost of food items will definitely go up while wages remain low thereby reducing the spending at the turn of the year when spending is most needed to survive. Emancipate Nigerian NOW list Goodluck Jonathan as a bad representation of leadership who does not care about Nigerians suffering at the expense of satisfying the imperialist world bank and its Imf cronies in our government.  Fuel Subsidy removal will definitely cause anarchy in the country which will further depreciate our security situation.  This is coming at a time as Nigerians mourn the victims of the bomb blasts in the last few days and wrestle with insecurity, the Jonathan Administration decided to utilize this period to impose exorbitant fuel price increases on the populace.

Quite frankly, the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria is a direct injury to the millennium development goal halving the number of people living in poverty in Nigeria and is at odds with global concern for the low levels of economic growth and recently reported declining human development index in Nigeria.  It is also obvious that the pressure to remove subsidy is designed by World Bank with insufficient understanding of the Nigerian economy and who choose to ignore the inability of governments to effectively implement anti poverty programmes planned as a wider element of a fiscal policy agenda.

Also the withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum products without approval by the National Assembly is  tantamount to a declaration of economic war against the populace. GEJ’s regime moves towards fascism and declaration of war on the people of Nigeria while pretending to derive its legitimacy from the people is implementing a policy that obviates the need for the assertion of the people’s representatives.

In the last few days, Jonathan’s administration had told Nigerians that fuel subsidy removal would be with effect from April 1, 2012.  This has shown a government that is a lair to add to a list of its antecedents as they lied on Minimum wage.

The Nigerian Government has made promises in the past that one billion dollars would be set aside annually for infrastructure instead of servicing $13 billion windfall profit to Paris Club, and each time there was fuel price increase, savings would be used for social services. There were promises to leverage our housing scheme contributions, promises to give us our pension contribution when in need, or promises that our salary will be paid promptly. Based on these solid past promises, we cannot wait for the so called fuel subsidy for the poor as they are going to cut “subsidy” and devalue the naira again as dictated by World Bank, IMF, etc. Looking at N1.5 trillion yearly subsidies, we wonder if this is really fuel subsidy for Nigerians or for the cabals and political mafias that run this country. Politicians are fond of using the name of the people to line their pockets. The argument of fuel subsidy or not has been completely hijacked since the oil producing states are not enjoying the benefit and the poor are not the beneficiary of N1.5 trillion yearly subsidy. It is the reason these vagabonds prefer to import fuel, make sure our refineries are not working and build refineries outside the Country.

Many Nigerians may now be biting their fingers for electing President GEJ into office. His thoughtless attitude towards the predicament of the common Nigerian man on the streets is rather very ridiculous and unacceptable

Emancipate Nigerian NOW  call for mass peaceful demonstration to show our displeasure at an insensitive government that has shown no willingness to alleviate poverty and suffering in Nigeria.