Re: What led to deregulation of fuel prices

In the Daily Trust Saturday edition of last week, a story by Muideen Olaniyi told us how the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, appealed to Nigerians to understand the situation that has led to the deregulation of fuel prices. When he made the appeal at the party’s National Secretariat […]

In the Daily Trust Saturday edition of last week, a story by Muideen Olaniyi told us how the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, appealed to Nigerians to understand the situation that has led to the deregulation of fuel prices. When he made the appeal at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja while speaking with journalists, he said the subsidy regime had become so intensely manipulated and abused that it was no longer operating in the interest of the Nigerian public.
While the APC National Chairman, who said Nigerians have a right to subsidy, noted that the kind of queues that have become endemic over several regimes in Nigeria is a clear indication that something has gone “seriously wrong” with the subsidy regime. Now I agree with what he said earlier, or at least some of it. A lot of it is wrong.
When he said “Those who were privileged were exploiting it to amass more wealth. Meanwhile, the people, for whom it is basically meant, have to bear the cost in higher transport fare. Each time these queues develop, of course, the ordinary Nigerian bears the cost while the importers and manipulators of the system are the ones that make all the money.” Isn’t that the category of Nigerians he belongs to?
I happen to have a major problem with people who try to make fools of others. Why would such an elderly supposed-gentleman say things like the new regime will ensure the availability of fuel, and prevent “indecent queues at petrol stations”? The he boldly said while acknowledging the hardships expected to be suffered by the Nigerians, the ordinary citizen will eventually become the major beneficiary.
“The economy is in bad shape as a result of which our people are going through hard times. But unless we correct some of these choked points within the economy, we will not revive as quickly as we should,” he warned, much to my amusement.
The only thing that truly made me happy, is his owning up that it is unfortunate, and painful and that it will increase cost in all directions. Our politicians always seem to forget why they were elected or appointed wherever they are. They better wake up, or there will be a rude awakening for them come Election Day, with we, the masses armed with that most potent weapon: The voters’ card.
Umar wrote in from Kaduna, Kaduna State.