Dear Compatriots,
I sincerely want to use
this opportunity to congratulate ordinary Nigerians on a mental
victory of sort in the past few days of protests against the inhuman
increase in petrol price. I could not believe my eyes seeing
protesters stretch as far as the eye could see, lining up on the
streets of Kano (can you imagine?), Ilorin, Ado Ekiti, Ibadan, Lagos,
Abuja and Warri. It was a sight to behold; Nigerians, peacefully
protesting an inhumane treatment by the rulers!
Many said Nigerians don’t
have it in them (including yours sincerely). But thou confound me!
Nigerians definitely have had it, and they are taking it no more!
This generation is different. This generation has risen up to write
their names in the sands of time; no backing down and no surrender!
In the next few days, our
patience will be tested. This government and her sympathizers will
begin to plant moles in our midst to create chaos and then kill the
protesters. The idea is to discredit the movement; our responsibility
is to resist them. If you find anyone looting or defacing public
property; restrain them pronto and hand them over to the police!
Yes I know this is the
very same police that keep killing our children with no provocation.
Never mind, they are agents of the devils- the true devils that
torment us collectively. Once we show through our efforts that the
police’s wife too (living on minimum wage) will use his garri money
to pay the transport fare to the market too, and then they will join
us. When the police join us, then this government is finished! That
is the goal; never forget that.
In recent times, we have
seen an upsurge in falsehoods and false arguments propagated by the
propaganda machine of the federal government. These disinformations
are particularly effective now that the strike is on and we are all
glued to our TVs. Of course, as the day wears by the goal is to make
our resolve wane by these false arguments. To prevent the planned
disillusionment, we must counter the false
arguments. Here is a list, and we shall add to it as we go, of
falsehoods “your government” is propagating:
|
Your Government |
The Truth in Context |
|
Deregulation is good in telecoms, Banking etc. It will be good in Petroleum Too – By NESG Chairman, Fred Nweke (Former Information Minister) & Others |
Well, not exactly. Deregulating the marketing of petroleum (which is usually money losing) and not the upstream production (where the easy money is) is analogous to government owning MTN and Globacom, but privatizing sale of recharge cards! Our right to subsidized petroleum is a derivative of government’s insistence on managing that asset directly in trust for the people: who demand it cheaply. Moreover, in developed countries (like the US) where the price at the pump is deregulated, if you find oil in your backyard you also own it. In these countries as well, important resources like food are subsidized. What has the Nigerian government done for you lately? |
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Subsidy breeds corruption and the cabal benefits – By Governor Sanusi |
This argument is basically saying the government cannot deal with corruption or is not willing to confront their buddies that are the “cabal”. Was Femi Otedola (the Diesel Prince) not the biggest sponsor of the President’s ambition in 2011? What happened to prosecution, forensic accounting, investigations, trial of these cabal for anti-market tactics, fraud, forgery, tax evasion and perhaps treason? Guess the President does not take his Chief Security Officer role very seriously! |
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Oil is lower in surrounding markets and if lower in Nigeria it will lead to leakage – Minister Okonjo-Iweala |
This argument is preposterous. If this were true, then refined oil prices will be the same around the world except for islands! Think about it, every nation have a border and oil prices vary widely across them because those borders are monitored for smuggling. If the government cannot do its job, with simple technology, why should the people pay? Moreover with 75% spent on overhead, we still cannot find people to guard that border to avoid seepage? Moreover, these surrounding countries don’t produce oil. Cameroon that produces mere 85,000 barrels per day, subsidized petroleum with |
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Only the Middle & Upper Class benefit– Governor Sanusi & Minister Okonjo-Iweala
|
This argument is bogus. The price of energy affects everything in every economy and more so in Nigeria. In the US, for every 15 naira rise in energy price at the pump, the GDP is reduced by 0.5%. In Nigeria it will be worse since we are not just poorer (by many thousands) but also depend on it not just for transport but power and cooking because our government is inept! The price of everything, on everybody is going up. |
|
We are borrowing money to pay subsidy – Jonathan & Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala |
This is a big fat lie. The NNPC pays money for the current subsidies from sale of crude oil directly to PPRA before the balance is deposited in the Federation Account. Albeit illegal, this is what the Senate found out. How then can it be said to be borrowed? If Nigeria is borrowing, it is only because our political class of less than 10,000 people arrogates 30% percent of the budget for itself, allocates 45% for its work force (of about 350,000) and asks the rest of us (149.5 million) to make do with 25% of the budget which never gets to us! |
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The money saved by subsidy will be spent on job creation and infrastructure – President & Ministers |
Again, the previous point they make is the answer to this. Where will this be saved if the money is borrowed? See, we received the 2012 budget and they did not indicate any subhead as SURE Projects or whatever that is called. Fact is the SURE Initiative was an afterthought. Evidence is slowly emerging that document was put together hurriedly by his spin doctors, in the last few weeks to the end of the year before GEJ sprung us a surprise of the year. By the way, how can a government with 4.3 trillion and no evidence of good spending convince 1.3 trillion will make a difference? Or a government that cannot even organize a medal ceremony be trusted with huge infrastructure projects? The best way to restore the economy is to increase the buying powers of the people not reduce it by 1.3 trillion naira that will go into foreign accounts! Tax cuts not increases! |
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25% cut in salaries of political officers is sharing the pain- President Goodluck Jonathan |
For one, let us be clear here: basic salaries amounts to nothing to political officers. They make more from security votes and allowances than anything else. They get enough freebies from us including free fuel and house helps; they basically dash away their salaries. Also, the President has no such powers to reduce salaries of political officers. They are set by the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) which sends it to the National Assembly for approval. The President also did not reflect this reduction in his budget. Nice! |
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The protests are sponsored and being used to discredit the government – Reuben Abati & the Statehouse Press Folks |
No, it is the policy that is sponsored: by World Bank and IMF types. The protesters need no sponsors like the President and his cabinet does; we have our minds. Being an opposition politician does not disqualify anyone from voicing their opinion against arrant policies especially popularly unpopular ones (emphasis mine). What is the point of being in opposition anyway? |
To the leaders of the
movement, the Save Nigeria Group or the Nigeria Labor Congress or the
Occupy Nigeria movement, it is important to keep the momentum and
think strategically. The enemy is foxy; they have at their disposal
the resources of the state and it is important we undermine that
advantage especially going forward. Education of your followers with
the above rebuttal points is important but that is just part of it.
Motivation will soon run
in few days as the economy of the common grinds to a halt. Food will
run low; energy will run dry. It is important we start thinking now
of how to sustain this movement and to make the government feel the
pain quickly. Allowing commercial activities except those that
provides revenue to the government: i.e. the port, the filling
stations, the airports and oil production etc., to continue while
protests balloon will also ensure maximum impact.
The government of Nigeria
fortunately lives and dies by one resource. This makes them an easy
target. Ask the MEND boys who got the attention of the Federal
Government by doing the same targeting albeit in a more innocuous
ways. We should be planning on how to shut in as much oil production
as possible. Make it impossible for the IOCs to service their wells,
onshore or offshore. Ban the lifting and transport of materials to
support oil production. Block the operations of the big energy
players and see the federal government go literally broke in one
week! The earlier this gets done, the quicker the outstanding issues
will be resolved.
The Nigeria Labor
Congress and Civil Society must flex its muscle, and remind this
government where the true power resides: with the people! Indeed,
dialogue is always welcome; this only after the government reverts to
the status quo of sixty five naira per liter. Once this is
established, we can begin having a conversation on sacrifices.
Perhaps if it is only 25% of their salary political officers are
willing to put on the table, then we too will only manage a 25%
increase in fuel increase: that yields =N=81.25; Hmm…
