By Eniola Olatunji
What a none discerning citizenry Nigerians are? Since the organised labour warned of mass protest against possible fuel hike, the government that needs the citizens to get back to power in the next one year has been showing them.
First, we didn’t know how adulterated petrol got in blaming some so called importers who each sternly denied importing any drop of petrol. Then NNPC came with apologies without ever telling the nation “who dunnit”. So they promised everything will be okay latest Monday 21st February and we believed them. Now there’s an elongated promise of by second week of March. What happened to the metric tonnes we were told were at the ports? Nigeria!
A state government where the Minister of State for Petroleum comes from, said it has pegged sales of petrol to ₦300 per litre from stations. Is it to mock FG or playing a script? When did it become the function of state governments to fix petrol price? Remember FG was smarting on selling at ₦340 per litre. Money must come to do several over bloated projects. Our money bag countries like China are getting wiser no more loans. Next, tax this and that including so called soft drinks which are for the masses not their classified wines and spirits.
Rumour went round that a neighbouring country supplied the adulterated petrol but no word except the usual political lies of we will nail foul importers to the cross. When? It has come like the list of sponsors of terrorists.
Simultaneously, for having the boldness to confront government, public power supply that was ever epileptic went comatose. In some areas or many states, power was supplied 4 hours per day and now it’s flashing for 15 minutes per day maybe 5 minutes per flash. One Federal Minister rose to tell us our public supply of light is per excellent as light is being supplied 24/7 everywhere in Nigeria.
Meanwhile some neighbouring countries we supply light to hitherto enjoying super steady 24/7 to without paying, let them make public statements of payment, are smiling at the level of our ‘mumu’.
The insecurity is frightening. Blessed at thou if you go to mosque or church and return home. The holy untouchable bandits are still on top of their acts. Bello Turji and his fellow lions of the forest are killing in the north like we hunt mosquitoes while our military are so busy tracking down Boko boys in the Northwest and stubborn IPOB guys in Southeast.
Billions of security money vanishes but in this government no more cry of no equipment. Aircrafts to fight terrorism were acquired but not wired for operations.
Nay when will Government tackle decisively these three monster webs of petrol via our own refineries. We were promised in 2015 that the government will build four refineries but Niger Republic without petrol products have four refineries now owned we hear by individuals. Na so we hear am o.
Second monster, power supply has been gulping money since 1999 and we learnt they no born well any leader who will probe that. Hmmm diaris God o.
Third, insecurity before I am given the Zamfara treatment where an advisor to the Emirate was forced to resign for complaining about insecurity, ouch! The ink in my pen indicates reload. I beg you get ink?
Eniola Olatunji ,
A veteran journalist and publisher wrote in from Abuja
