Mixed reactions have greeted the proposed hike in price of petroleum product, petrol, with many Nigerians resident in Benue state demanding the Federal Government to either reduce the pump price or leave it as it is.
Many have also rejected the proposed N5000 allowance to very poor Nigerians as palliative to cushion the effects of the hardship saying the gesture is same as “robbing peter to pay Paul”.
While majority of residents who spoke to the Next Edition, on Friday, took a swipe at the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government describing the increase as insensitive and hypocritical others say the increase in the price of fuel is “a reality we must face today in order to enjoy tomorrow.”
Others who bore their minds on the impending effect of the proposes increase of pump price, also advocated that the federal government must deregulate the economy and find alternatives to oil in order to boost the country’s economy.
The Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), Makurdi Branch, Barr. Justin Gbagir said “For me, the issue of increase in price of petroleum product is not the solution to the economic problems of Nigeria.
“God has blessed Nigeria with the Natural resources but there are so many other resources from which the federal and state government can get income without depending on oil.
“In developed climes, we have what is called the tax payers money. We also have what is called progressive tax where those who have are taxed to take care of the underprivileged.
“But in Nigeria, we concentrate so much on petroleum products to determine our economic progress. This has been our undoing and it is causing hardship on common Nigerians.
“This is giving rise to a situation where the rich continues to grow rich and the poor, poorer.”
Barr. Gbagir who wondered what the payment of N5000 to poor Nigerians will do for them, insisted that the federal government needs to develop a system where those who have are able to pay taxes that will cater for the wellbeing of others.
While also advocating for diversification of the economy, Gbagir said “If you ask me, I will say the federal government should suspend the exploration of oil for five years.
“Before the exploration, we had the groundnut pyramid in the north, the cocoa farm in the south, the palm oil in the east. Countries like Malaysia who is thriving on palm production and its bye products are way ahead of Nigeria but because we are concentrating all our energy on oil exploration and the benefits, we have bleached so many other sources of income for the country. That is our undoing.
“I think that the issue of diversification of our economy is one key issue that should preoccupy the interests of our leaders so that we can move away from oil and look at other sources to finance our budget and economy and also that we don’t overburden common Nigerians.
He also queried the criteria in which the federal government is using to arrive at the poorest of the poor Nigerians saying “at the end of the day, you see politicians giving the names of their family members and friends and those who are allegedly supposed to be the poorest of the poor are not single the true sense of it.
“To what extent is the money, N5000, going to sustain these people if they are considered the poorest of the poor. Is it enough to put food on their table?
“We don’t need N5000, All we need is the government to develop an economy where the poorest of the poor will also be able to survive and the rich are also able to survive.
“Increment in price if petroleum product is not an option because the moment they increase the price of petroleum, the civil servants will begin to agitate for the increment in salary. This will result in strike actions and attendant hardships. It will also affect the prices of other items; prices of food, transportation, goods, school fees, medical fees.
“Increment in price of petroleum product as a panacea to solving our economic challenges is rather will rather worse our situation,” he said.
Another respondent, Mohammed Mohammed called on Nigerians to reject, vehemently, the increase saying at a point when people are facing trying times, government should not be allowed to do as they please.
Mohammed said he has decided to join forces with some persons to established a strong team nationwide, to “Occupy Villa, if ithe federal government decides to go ahead with their planned increase as our current President, opposition leaders and members of the ruling party did, when former President Goodluck Jonathan increased the price of fuel.”
“Let us be united against injustice in anywhere we find it for the sake of our dear nation and generation unborn.
“We don’t want N5000, Leave the price of fuel as it is or reduce it,” he said.
Another resident, Gabriel Baki expressed some reservations about the fuel increase and payment of N5000 to poor Nigerians saying “we have had situations and several rhetorics of giving Nigerians something which never materialized.
“All we hear are cases of highly placed person choking the system with their influence to the disadvantage of the poor.
“Who are those to benefit from this N5000? What is the criteria to determine who gets the fund. The Covid 19 fund or grant didn’t really meet the expressed intention and now government is giving out huge sums that will end up in the pockets of a few Nigerians against the majority of persons. This is my fear”, he said.
For Mohammed Elzubair, it was rhetoric questions upon question. “What is the benefits of the increment? For how long can we get the impact in the society? What would be the result upon all the increment?, he quarries.
Meanwhile, a businessman, Terna Gile differed from the others. According to him “at this stage of our economy, we cannot run away from the issue of subsidy especially in petroleum products.
Mr Gil who stated that it would be better to allow the petroleum products operate at their market prices noted that, “globally, Nigerian cost of petrol is the lowest. I don’t have an issue with the removal of subsidy because there is so much fraud in it so I will rather we buy fuel at the market price.”
He expressed hope that, like what happened in the telecom industry, going forward, the market forces will force the price of fuel down especially as other investors begin to invest in the oil industry.
He said Nigerians must be patient and trust the country’s leadership saying “the much talked subsidy is only enjoyed by a few individuals and not all Nigerians. We should be getting subsidy in agriculture not fuel where a few people are enjoying it and not Nigerians.
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*That money is supposed to be shared among states. Let us hold the state Governors accountable for what they will do with that money instead of allowing a few individuals that have privilege to take it. That is a way of cheating the system.
“Once you are paying that subsidy, it will be smuggled across borders to be sold in the likes of Niger, Chad and Benin Republic and you will continue to pay a cost that your country is not benefitting from.
“As for me, it is just sentiments and emotions. The reality is, we must suffer now to enjoy tomorrow,” he said.
Speaking on the N5000 allowances to poor Nigerians, Gile said “I subscribe to giving palliatives to the poorest of the poor because the federal government through the World Bank have generated a database across the country and so it is not difficult finding them.”
