Nigerians and the Brunt of Fuel Subsidy Removal

By Damilola Adeparusi 

This is the time for all of us to be realistic and speak the truth to power. We have to speak pointedly on the top of our voices, so that those concerned can hear audibly. Even if we choose not to; we’ll keep telling an obvious lie and Nigerians would continually groan under the scorching effects of fuel subsidy removal.

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Thousands thought life would be better and more bearable once government abolished fuel subsidy, but alas! the situation has exacerbated. It has got harsher and more excruciating.

Since the removal, Nigeria is gradually becoming a theatre of absurdity. It seems the nation is jinxed and nothing seems to work. By my own estimation, it is like our economy is defying every solution being propounded by the handlers to bail us out of this parlous state. Life now in Nigeria is beyond scorching, even tears had dried. 

I could remember the day fuel subsidy was removed, President Bola Ahmed  Tinubu then said:  “let the poor breathe”. Putting it in succinct fashion, the poor are no longer breathing, they are rather being exphyxiated. Life is becoming choking and unbearable, and the poor are dying already.

The negative effects of the removal of fuel subsidy has overshadowed the once obvious positive effects. Had it been there were enough palliatives, situations could have a little bit abated. But alas! Rice has been the only palliative Nigerian government made available for the citizens. The government failed woefully to provide adequate palliatives forgetting that massive job opportunities, easy transportation and electricity supply are also palliatives.

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Let’s not mention how the price of goods skyrocketed after the removal of fuel subsidy. Manufacturers will not complain how much it cost to get their products shipped or passed across to the retailers, we can’t blame it on them; we know who’s to blame.

Traveling from Ado-Ekiti to Oye-Ekiti was six hundred naira (#600), unfortunately after the removal of fuel subsidy, the amount doubled. Painfully, the fare is now one thousand two hundred naira. Most students can not afford the current cost of transportation. Consequently, educational attainment has suffered. They have denied the aspiring learners the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills for a better future.

Moreover, the damages the removal of fuel subsidy has done is immeasurable. The poor did not complain about not being able to breathe at first. Their complaints have gone beyond breathing. They are gasping for breathe under this harsh economy and needed expeditious rescue mission. 

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Remember the case of LASU students protest after this policy? How could a school fee of 28k geometrically  increased to outrageous sum of 125k. How could government think a poor man will be able to keep up with life in few years to come?

Going by tomorrow that President Tinubu said, the policy was intended to tame the cankerworm and monstrous corruption in the system. Sad enough, corruption has grown in leaps and bounds. The policy was a mere facade when it comes to the issue of fighting corruption. We need more pragmatic steps to sanitise the system, for the malaise is not associated with payment of fuel subsidy alone, it has permeated every segment of our society. 

Delivery fee is now higher than the price of goods ordered, what a joke! Since there is also a rise in the price of petroleum; who shall we blame? Even  A dollar now amounts to #1000. The poor should breathe hard ‘abeg’.

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Civil society organizations and advocacy groups have been at the forefront, voicing the concerns and demands of Nigerians affected by the policy. These collective efforts have pushed for a greater transparency, accountability, and policy reforms to alleviate the burden on the citizens.

The policy has unveiled the need for comprehensive social safety net programmes to protect vulnerable population. There is an urgent call for the government to provide timely interventions, such as cash transfers, subsidies for specific groups, and employment opportunities for affected individuals.

The effect of the subsidy removal on Nigerians serves as a reminder of the need for the adoption of a holistic approach to economic policy-making. Balancing the country’s fiscal responsibilities with the welfare of its citizens proves to be a complex task that demands thoughtful consideration.

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As Nigeria continues to navigate the aftermath of the fuel subsidy removal, there is a pressing need for inclusive dialogue, sustainable solutions, and policies that prioritize the well-being of its people. It is through collective efforts and a focus on human development that the effects of the subsidy removal can be mitigated, paving the way for a more equitable future for all Nigerians.

At first, the removal of the fuel subsidy was to ensure that the poor could breathe, but now that things had turned out this way, I hope the government will redirect the system to the path of normalcy, so that the poor can bounce back on their feet.

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