Unless and untill Nigeria three governments holistically confront these three monsters frontally,food scarcity,hunger and premature deaths will not leave Nigeria soil.
As a fact,Nigeria economy,businesses and earnings are all oil dependent.But unfortunately the production of oil to spur revenue base of the country is rubbished.Crude oil production is completely taken over by meascreants both at the local and international levels.But despite all governments efforts to steam it proved impossible.This indicates that,something is wrong somewhere with Nigeria security arctechiture.Therefore, the ongoing State Police and Policing is good.But the level at which its amendment activity is going is very sluggish.
It is a standard approach to impossibility that,if moving forward is impossible why can’t be a reversal.The present hardships for the past one year are occassioned by the removal of oil subsidy.It opens wide door for the already tensed situations to explore.Since than the Federal Government has been busy finding solutions here and there with no result but escalations.Why can’t the Federal Government revert or take to some other quicker solutions such as:
i-Speak to OPEC
to understand
with Nigeria
predicaments
and offer some
assistance
instead of
romancing with
World Bank and
IMF with their
conditionalities.
ii-Once there is
drastic reduction
in the price of
fuel two thirds of
Nigeria present
hardships will
disappear.
iii-Stop either the
sale or swap of
any petroleum
products with
third parties for
at least two
years.This will
definitely wet
Nigeria with
sufficient
petroleum Crude
and Refined
Products.
As to the corruption in Nigeria.This is a cankerworm which has been in Nigeria since the oil discovery in commercial quantities way back to 1958.Corruption was/is institutionalised in one form or other.To the extent that,even government is finding it hard to control despite the corruption agencies.
Most of these are long term measures.However,as an interim measure,the Federal Government should give due considerations to the fuel issue immediately.Primodial sentiments such as religious,ethinic,commercial interests and winner takes all should be put aside for the overall interest of Nigeria upcoming generations.More importantly,we have no other Country than Nigeria.Time is going.
May we be guided.
Lakpene Yusuf Bida,Esq
Public Affairs Analyst.
15th-7-2024.
