I am among those who admire your courage and patrotism. Unfortunately, your role in the decision of the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy has distorted my opinion. Nevertheless, I still consider you as a patriot. The truth, howeve,r is that you have been unconsciously blinded by the West.While the West, through the World Bank and the IMF will make us believe that subsidy regime is unhealthy, critical sectors of their economies are subsidised. As you read this letter, the European Union is subsidising agriculture and fisheries. Other countries subsidise housing, healthcare, education, or transport. It is left for each country to choose critical areas to intervene. These interventions, in the form of subsidy are aimed at protecting the purchasing powers of the citizens.You will agree with me that the planned removal of fuel subsidy will definitely lead to the astronomic rise in the prices of goods and services. The consequences of this is that the purchasing power of the already poor Nigerians will be weakened. Families that survive on N10,000 monthly will now require between N20,000 and N30,000 owing to increase in the prices of goods and services.It is unfortunate that most of the persons pushing for the removal of fuel subsidy believe that a coin has only one side. They do not put themselves in the shoes of poor and unemployed citizens. Your honourable self will sing a new song if your financial compensation was within the range of N18,000 and N50,000. This is what 90 percent of Nigerians earn. Honourable minister, it is not fair that you are only concerned about what Nigerians will gain from the planned removal of fuel subsidy without considering what they will lose through the weakening of their purchasing powers. No reasonable government will afford to deliberately weaken the purchasing powers of her citizens in order to build new roads, schools, hospitals, industries, and rails. It can be likened to a man that sacrificed his wife to raise money to provide good education for his children.One thing has become clear. Our nation's economic experts and fiscal policy formulators are either lazy or have run dry of ideas. They have all therefore decided to hold onto the N1.3 trillion being expected from the planned removal of fuel subsidy. There are more than a million ways to raise even N2 trillion. The most worrying thing in your arguments in support of the removal of fuel subsidy has to do with how it will help to curb corruption in NNPC. It is sad that you are convinced of the existence of corruption in the oil sector but not interested in going after those eating fat from it. The best you can do in fighting those milking Nigeria dry is to punish the poor masses by removing fuel subsidy. Why are you afraid of the so-called 'cabal''I am afraid that Nigerian masses may not take the issue of fuel subsidy lightly. This is one sure way they enjoy the divine gift of oil and gas. Sometimes, I am tempted to believe that you are a tool in the hands of the west. They are not happy that we got political independence too soon. They are therefore not willing to let us get economic independence any sooner. One of the strategies is to promote either political or economic instability. This can be achieved by pitching the masses against government.History will hold you responsible if Nigerian masses are forced to go out on the streets to protest government's insensitivity. With the little I know about you, it will be difficult for you to accept the truth concerning the planned removal of fuel subsidy. This is because you have invested the whole of your pride and ego in this matter. The truth is that, Nigeria is bigger than any individual. Therefore, make the noble choice by standing with the masses. In the first place, we do not have any good reason to import fuel. The federal government, like it is in other OPEC countries, should ensure that our refineries are operating at maximum capacities. With this, the pump price of petroleum products will drop. Furthermore, government can save substantial amount of money by reducing the number, salaries and allowances of government officials. In addition to strengthening the anti-corruption agencies, a Wealth Verification legislation should be put in place to compel citizens to disclose their sources of wealth. Whoever that wants to build or buy any property costing N5 million and above should be required to file documents with the anti-graft agencies detailing the sources of the fund.While in the developed countries, the rich make major contributions to the development of national economy, same cannot be said of Nigeria. All of the nation's transformation agenda are built on the frail backs of poor Nigerian masses. The time has come for the rich among us to contribute to the transformational agenda of the present administration.Mr. Gwegwe, CEO, Nigeria Democracy Watchtower, 2, Greevilla-Customs Link Road,'Biogbolo-Epie, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
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