LAGOS/Nigeria: As Nigerians continue to condemn the current increase in the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and electricity tariff which contrary to the masses expectations came at a time Nigerians were waiting for the Federal Government to offer sustainable road map for restoring the health and vitality of the nation’s precarious democracy, the Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA)-a Lagos Based non-governmental and non-religious group, has joined the fray.
In a statement entitled; how can the Masses Survive under this Precarious Condition, dated Friday 4th September, 2020, and signed by the Group’s Programme Cordinator (Media and Public Policy), Utomi Jerome-Mario, and made available to the media in Lagos, the Group described the two separate but related developments coming from the Federal Government as inconsiderate, wicked and capable of furthering impoverishment of more Nigerians, democratize poverty and consolidate powerlessness. And therefore called on President Buhari led Government to prove itself a listening government by reversing these obnoxious directives.
According to the Group, FG have demonstrated highest level of insensitivity to the poor masses by coming up with such decision in a period when policy makers across the globe are actively integrating policy frameworks that both protect the rights and opportunities of their citizens and coming generations. Noting that what the masses need currently are policies that will appreciably assist in improving their economic live chances and not adding to the people’s already destroyed economic powers orchastrated by the outbreak of the Corona Virus pandemic and bad policies from the government in recent past.
Going further, the group queried; how can the Federal Government justify to the watching world the newest price of N151.56 per litre at a time that crude oil price at world market is nose diving? Is that not insensitivity considering the time? Why increment in the pump price and electricity tariff at a time when crude oil prices are nosediving at the global market? And increase electricity tariff in a season when majority of Nigerians are without meter? Why is it always convenient for the Federal Government to scream market forces or forces of demand and supply when it comes to effect hike in the prices of essentials goods and services, like fuel and electricity that is beneficial to the common man on the street?
While the statement called on Nigerians, the Civil Society Groups and Labour Unions to reject this present move by the Federal Government, they stressed that President Buhari should not be talking about implementing such policies without first demonstrating good example by slashing his security votes and other avoidable expenditures. For instance, going by reports, the 2020 financial estimate shows that Mr. President and His Vice will spend N4.2 Billion. Out of this amount, travel will gulp N3.3 Billion, while catering will take N149.1 Billion. Separate from the fact that this high cost of governance has led to poor delivery of democracy dividends, we advise that now that Covid-19 has restricted movement globally, the Federal Government should in the interim use the amount budgeted for such travels to subsidize petroleum/electricity tariffs while making sincere effort to fix the nation’s refineries.
