Deregulation and the Empty Jerry Can
by
Sometime in 1986, the then head of state of Nigeria General Ibrahim Babangida also know as "Maradona" began to toy with the idea of increasing the cost of Petroleum products. He then flagged off this idea by asking Nigerians to discuss the issue of accepting the International Monetary Fund loan of 2.5 billion or allow the government to increase the cost of the Petroleum products. When Nigerians overwhelmingly rejected the Greek gift also known as I.M.F. Loan, General Babangida moved in and announced the increase in Petrol from 30k to 39.5 few years later, in 1989, the General again increased the price to 42k and before he stepped out in 1993, he had increased the price at least twice finally leaving it at 3.25.
The "bigger" evil one" his excellency, General Sani Abacha who came to power after shoving aside the impotent government of
Earnest Shonekan, also did not spare the price of the black gold. From 3.25 that Babangida left it, General Sani Abacha announced a new price N15 but reverted
to N11 when labour, students and miscreants alike vehemently rejected the price of N15. General Abubakar too was not left as when he came to power after the
death of the "bigger evil general," he too had to look to oil for revenue, again he increased the price from N11 to N20.
In all these price increase, Nigerians knew that they are being fooled but since it was a military regime, there was no need according Dr.
Azikiwe to fight "the man with the gun." Therefore when the "Expected Messiah" took power in 1999, Nigerians had expected a miracle from
him and tht miracle is to revert the price of fuel to N11 at which price Government no longer subsidizes. But instead of their expectation, the Messiah
increased their yoke by again moving the price to N30. This act was done without even referring to the National Assembly, the symbol of democracy or to labour
leader or even to the students. Although the president later shifted grounds by reducing the price to N22, this was not on easy shift in that labour leaders
battled and even attempted to cripple the new democracy should he go ahead with the new price. After this, pundits had expected that "our Messiah"
would at least leave out oil politics and oil price increase but his recent constitution of a body called "Special Committee on the Review of Petroleum
products Supply and Distribution without the input of the National Assembly amounts to simple dictatorship and should be criticized by Nigerians and indeed
the House of Representatives, the only significant symbol of democracy as the senate is peopled by men who have nothing to offer the nation other than
impeachment, Ghana must go bags and hobnobbing with the executive.
However, the bitter aspect of this development is that the so called committee is headed by one Rasheed Gbadamosi whose last outing was National Planning Minister. For a man who has never worked but always held one appointment after the other right from the age of 21 courtesy of his father's closeness to Chief Awolowo, nothing much can be expected from him. Observers were therefore not surprised when Rasheed Gbadamosi who had lived all his life courtesy of government largesse and patronage in company of some faceless labour leaders recommended that the Federal Government should pursue the deregulation of Petroleum prices not matter how unpopular and costly to the average Nigerian. Today we are faced with the question of do we deregulate or not.
But then is deregulation, if my little knowledge is right; deregulation is just another name for Petroleum price hike no more no less. This then, indicates that there will be the usual attendant immiseration for the people especially in the area of public transportation, health, education, housing and other public utilities.
However proponents of deregulation especially government officials should not lose sight of the implication of deregulation. The first is that in enthroning deregulation against protecting the interest of Nigerians, Government and its officials have unwittingly surrendered the instrument of power to the private sector. This is because oil is the main stay of Nigeria economy and if a group of people other than government controls it, it then amounts to government abdication of key responsibility to its citizens. Put mildly what this means that Obasanjo is no more responsible to its citizens.
Again by overburdening Nigerians who have been living under excruciating poverty and non functional infrastructures such as electricity, Good road, telecommunications, the Obasanjo government is just telling the masses that it is no "longer responsible for their welfare". Before deregulation, pundits had expected the Obasanjo government to put the nations infrastructures into good working order if not for anything to make the deregulation effective, unfortunately the present arrangement is akin to putting the cat before the horse. What remains therefore, is for government to completely surrender all other responsibilities to the states and local government to set up their own police, control their own resources while the individuals should decide which laws they may want to operate with other than sharia and common law.
But beyond the question of deregulation, and its implications, we now ask, was there really a subsidy in the first place, what did it amount to? From available statistics as released by government, the cost of Nigerian crude per barrel is $3 and this product is sold to NNPC at $9 per barrel. Thus if this statistics is anything to go by, it then means that at $9, NNPC can still be making profit if it sells refined fuel at N15 per litre. So where is the much touted subsidy? Another important question is what are subsidizing or deregulation?, the imported fuel or broken down refineries that can hardly function for one week without breaking down? This question must be answered to know that wee are deregulating.
We are left with no clue on this orchestrated campaign except that government is touting this deregulation because it has failed the citizens in the area of developing other sectors and have resorted to milking Nigerians in other to source revenue to cater for the ruling class including their expensive and inordinate taste. Therefore, if this deregulation succeeds, it then implies that democracy has proved not only a waste of time but useless to Nigerians. But beyond the entire development, pundits are worried over the role of One Jerry Gana who is the government's spokesman. Gana former MAMSER monster has been going over the place insulting our sensibilities with his untoward and empty logic on deregulation. This is the same man who has lived a better part of his life on government patronage and largesse, so what does he know about "Courageous leadership." Does courageous leadership amount to unleashing unquantified hardship on the masses of this country. Who is Gana Jerry by the way and what does the totality of his person and intelligence amount to in contrast to over 100 million Nigerians at home and in Diaspora.
Suffice to say that should Nigerians allow the Obasanjo's, the Obaseki's and the Gana's to get away with this bogey called deregulation, we
would have enslaved this country to an unknown buyer and our children including those yet unborn will continue to curse us over this adventure. Therefore, the
time to stop this Empty Jerry Can from filling up his inadequacies, emptiness and ignorance with our blood and sweat is now.