Deregulating “fresh air”
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- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
- Hits: 1056
The above was not actually the title of the discourse intended to feature in the column this week. The topic “Aspects of etiquette and decency in Islam”, which serialization began five weeks ago was designed to last for six consecutive weeks. However, this plan was disrupted by an SMS received from one of the regular readers of the column, which reads “Salam. Kwana biyu. Don’t you think that your Philosofaith should be current enough to talk on burning issues in the county with a view to suggesting solutions?” (Tamim 08036787238).
The tone of the language used in the SMS quoted above sounds more like a protester’s agitation than a reader’s appeal. Anyway, one would not be too surprised if most Nigerians sound aggressive now given their anger over the recent removal of oil subsidy. Indeed, Civil Society Organizations, human rights activists, opinion leaders, lawyers, medical doctors, ASUU members, past and present presidential aspirants, former ministers, former and serving members of the House of Representatives, pastors and Imams, were all part of the large crowd of protesters that stormed major streets in most state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory. It’s one protest that did not have religion, tribe or class. Therefore, the sender of the SMS (Brother Tamim) could be given the benefit of doubts if he indeed sounded like a protester.To respond to the SMS, it was not that the column was indifferent to the critical issue of oil subsidy which removal nearly brought the nation to a standstill. The column only felt that there was nothing to say which Nigerians have not said against the very inhuman, insensitive and thick-skinned removal of oil subsidy. But if the SMS under reference represents the feelings of most readers, it is with great pleasure that the column expresses its opinion.
The major argument of government on oil subsidy has been that “only few Nigerians (believed to be importers of refined petroleum products) benefit from the (so called) subsidy because of some existing corrupt practices which government unfortunately perceives as intractable in the system. Taking for granted that this claim by government on oil subsidy is something to believe, we want to state that: (1) such a position by government amounts to self-indictment and an indication that it has failed in its lip-service fight against corruption. The import of this, also, is that Jonathan fears corruption more than he respects Nigerians. It is unfortunate that we have a president who finds pleasure in punishing citizens for the corrupt offences of selected cabals; (2) The failure by government to check corruption among a syndicate of some “subsidy beneficiaries” is not by any means a justification to transfer the burden of corruption to Nigerians; (3) The introduction of another hardship (i.e. subsidy removal) cannot provide solution to existing challenges (as manifest in the power sector collapse, infrastructural decay, etc).
We consider the assertion by the minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that “the pains of subsidy removal would only last for three months” as an insult to the sensitivities of the Nigerian people. Maybe, she is one of those who believe that Nigerians, in a richly-endowed nation, deserve to suffer. If, for instance, the country were to lose lives (God forbid) every minute to the pains of subsidy removal from a total 129,600 minutes for the 90days “gestation period” promised by Ngozi Okonja-Iweala, the number of Nigerians that would have died during the period would be nothing short of genocide. President Jonathan needs to be educated that the removal of petroleum subsidy is different from removing an item from of the list of domestic family needs submitted to him by Dame Patience.
The administration of Goodluck Jonathan is not to be trusted. Since the debate on oil subsidy began, President Jonathan and his economic team kept telling Nigerians even up to on January 31, 2011that they were still consulting on the matter. We consider it fraudulent for government to take Nigerians un-aware in removing the oil subsidy when it was least expected. Deceit is an act of irresponsibility. Another factor that creates mistrust in the minds of Nigerians is that President Jonathan, by removing the subsidy, had started implementing a fiscal policy that is supposed to be part of the 2012 appropriation which has neither been passed nor signed in to law. It looks more deceptive when we consider the fact that the national assembly had extended the implementation of the 2011 budget to March 31, 2012.
Furthermore, some economists have told us that there is nothing about oil subsidy in the 2012 appropriation submitted by President Jonathan to the national assembly. So, even if he had fraudulently decided to start the implementation of the 2012 budget before approval, the question to ask is: “What is he removing?” The sophistry employed by him and proponents of oil subsidy removal in defense of their opinions cannot be said to be without ulterior motives which some God-fearing economists say involves abuse of statistics.
President Goodluck Jonathan who is either buried in his celebrated euphoria of presidential powers or blindfolded by some sort of political exuberance has refused to listen to all the words of wisdom against the removal of oil subsidy. Since history is meant to guide man in taking rightful decisions about present and future events; we urge those who wish Nigerians and President Goodluck Jonathan well to remind him of the sinking of the Titanic ship which sad event occurred during her maiden voyage on the night of Sunday April 14, 1912. The Titanic ship sank because its captain refused to heed several warnings that cautioned him against reckless sailing across the Atlantic.
In total disregard to warnings by officers on board, Captain of the Titanic sailed carelessly and struck an iceberg. The ship was holed below the waterline and in less than three hours, the Titanic (which was manufactured to be “unsinkable”) sank. Only 705 people (about 32%) were rescued from the 2,200 passengers on board. Titanic was the largest passenger steamer of her time. We hope Jonathan would not be like the Captain of the Titanic ship.
According to the political encyclopedia of President Jonathan, the “fresh air” he promised Nigerians include astronomical increase in electricity tariffs; new tax regimes on salaries of workers; gratuitous change of vehicle number plates and driving licenses; in-patients beds in public hospitals to be as expensive as 5-star hotel accommodation; re-introduction of toll gates on roads that are almost un-motorable; helping other countries in combating illiteracy while literacy rate in Nigeria stands at 45%; and issuing waivers to importers of foreign rice.
Now that we have partly understood the meaning of “Fresh air”, it is important to deregulate the cost of running the presidency so that the hardship imposed on Nigerians in the name of the “fresh air” could be subsidized. Details of the palliatives prepared by the assembly of Nigerian masses would be revealed in due course. May Allah (SWT) redeem Nigerians from the wicked clutches of bad leaders, amin.
Articles
Deregulating “fresh air”
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 1056
The above was not actually the title of the discourse intended to feature in the column this week. The topic “Aspects of etiquette and decency in Islam”, which serialization began five weeks ago was designed to last for six consecutive weeks. However, this plan was disrupted by an SMS received from one of the regular readers of the column, which reads “Salam. Kwana biyu. Don’t you think that your Philosofaith should be current enough to talk on burning issues in the county with a view to suggesting solutions?” (Tamim 08036787238).
The tone of the language used in the SMS quoted above sounds more like a protester’s agitation than a reader’s appeal. Anyway, one would not be too surprised if most Nigerians sound aggressive now given their anger over the recent removal of oil subsidy. Indeed, Civil Society Organizations, human rights activists, opinion leaders, lawyers, medical doctors, ASUU members, past and present presidential aspirants, former ministers, former and serving members of the House of Representatives, pastors and Imams, were all part of the large crowd of protesters that stormed major streets in most state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory. It’s one protest that did not have religion, tribe or class. Therefore, the sender of the SMS (Brother Tamim) could be given the benefit of doubts if he indeed sounded like a protester.To respond to the SMS, it was not that the column was indifferent to the critical issue of oil subsidy which removal nearly brought the nation to a standstill. The column only felt that there was nothing to say which Nigerians have not said against the very inhuman, insensitive and thick-skinned removal of oil subsidy. But if the SMS under reference represents the feelings of most readers, it is with great pleasure that the column expresses its opinion.
The major argument of government on oil subsidy has been that “only few Nigerians (believed to be importers of refined petroleum products) benefit from the (so called) subsidy because of some existing corrupt practices which government unfortunately perceives as intractable in the system. Taking for granted that this claim by government on oil subsidy is something to believe, we want to state that: (1) such a position by government amounts to self-indictment and an indication that it has failed in its lip-service fight against corruption. The import of this, also, is that Jonathan fears corruption more than he respects Nigerians. It is unfortunate that we have a president who finds pleasure in punishing citizens for the corrupt offences of selected cabals; (2) The failure by government to check corruption among a syndicate of some “subsidy beneficiaries” is not by any means a justification to transfer the burden of corruption to Nigerians; (3) The introduction of another hardship (i.e. subsidy removal) cannot provide solution to existing challenges (as manifest in the power sector collapse, infrastructural decay, etc).
We consider the assertion by the minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that “the pains of subsidy removal would only last for three months” as an insult to the sensitivities of the Nigerian people. Maybe, she is one of those who believe that Nigerians, in a richly-endowed nation, deserve to suffer. If, for instance, the country were to lose lives (God forbid) every minute to the pains of subsidy removal from a total 129,600 minutes for the 90days “gestation period” promised by Ngozi Okonja-Iweala, the number of Nigerians that would have died during the period would be nothing short of genocide. President Jonathan needs to be educated that the removal of petroleum subsidy is different from removing an item from of the list of domestic family needs submitted to him by Dame Patience.
The administration of Goodluck Jonathan is not to be trusted. Since the debate on oil subsidy began, President Jonathan and his economic team kept telling Nigerians even up to on January 31, 2011that they were still consulting on the matter. We consider it fraudulent for government to take Nigerians un-aware in removing the oil subsidy when it was least expected. Deceit is an act of irresponsibility. Another factor that creates mistrust in the minds of Nigerians is that President Jonathan, by removing the subsidy, had started implementing a fiscal policy that is supposed to be part of the 2012 appropriation which has neither been passed nor signed in to law. It looks more deceptive when we consider the fact that the national assembly had extended the implementation of the 2011 budget to March 31, 2012.
Furthermore, some economists have told us that there is nothing about oil subsidy in the 2012 appropriation submitted by President Jonathan to the national assembly. So, even if he had fraudulently decided to start the implementation of the 2012 budget before approval, the question to ask is: “What is he removing?” The sophistry employed by him and proponents of oil subsidy removal in defense of their opinions cannot be said to be without ulterior motives which some God-fearing economists say involves abuse of statistics.
President Goodluck Jonathan who is either buried in his celebrated euphoria of presidential powers or blindfolded by some sort of political exuberance has refused to listen to all the words of wisdom against the removal of oil subsidy. Since history is meant to guide man in taking rightful decisions about present and future events; we urge those who wish Nigerians and President Goodluck Jonathan well to remind him of the sinking of the Titanic ship which sad event occurred during her maiden voyage on the night of Sunday April 14, 1912. The Titanic ship sank because its captain refused to heed several warnings that cautioned him against reckless sailing across the Atlantic.
In total disregard to warnings by officers on board, Captain of the Titanic sailed carelessly and struck an iceberg. The ship was holed below the waterline and in less than three hours, the Titanic (which was manufactured to be “unsinkable”) sank. Only 705 people (about 32%) were rescued from the 2,200 passengers on board. Titanic was the largest passenger steamer of her time. We hope Jonathan would not be like the Captain of the Titanic ship.
According to the political encyclopedia of President Jonathan, the “fresh air” he promised Nigerians include astronomical increase in electricity tariffs; new tax regimes on salaries of workers; gratuitous change of vehicle number plates and driving licenses; in-patients beds in public hospitals to be as expensive as 5-star hotel accommodation; re-introduction of toll gates on roads that are almost un-motorable; helping other countries in combating illiteracy while literacy rate in Nigeria stands at 45%; and issuing waivers to importers of foreign rice.
Now that we have partly understood the meaning of “Fresh air”, it is important to deregulate the cost of running the presidency so that the hardship imposed on Nigerians in the name of the “fresh air” could be subsidized. Details of the palliatives prepared by the assembly of Nigerian masses would be revealed in due course. May Allah (SWT) redeem Nigerians from the wicked clutches of bad leaders, amin.