By Matthew Mahmood
Vice-President Namadi Sambo and President Goodluck Jonathan
Removal of fuel subsidy may not take-off next January as hitherto proposed, the President hinted yesterday. President Goodluck Jonathan, while dropping the hint on the shifting of ground on the implementation date by the government, said it was necessary because of the plot by his critics to bring his government down. He said the critics had given him their consent only to turn around to oppose it.
—Daily Sun
President Goodluck Jonathan should stop blaming critics for the proposed plan to remove fuel subsidy in January 2012 and face reality. He should reveal the identities of the alleged critics that initially supported his motive. Has he revealed the names of major sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria yet? He probably loves the guessing game because he is yet to be 'trapped' in Aso Rock by protesters.
If fuel subsidy is removed, the federal government may have to face a movement of more activists that are similar to Occupy London Stock Exchange and Occupy Wall Street protesters. Nigerians may be forced to join the global revolution against 'social and economic inequality'.
Protesters may decide to occupy the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, occupy the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and occupy Aso Rock… They may even decide to occupy Nigeria and bring the nation to a standstill and Jonathan may later become the 'last' Nigerian president, in accordance with the CIA prediction of Nigeria's disintegration. According to Jonathan, Nigeria will not disintegrate by 2015 as the CIA predicted.
On a televised visit to a school, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State claimed that he did not have shoes to wear to school. President Jonathan also made a similar declaration to win the sympathy of the masses. It is amazing that people who suffered from advanced poverty in their early years want the masses to pay more for fuel, which would increase the costs of transportation and food prices etcetera. Do they want the poorest people to starve to death?
Like Amaechi, the Peoples Democratic Party acting chairman Abubakar Kawu Baraje said the removal of fuel subsidy would increase investment and infrastructure. Are they not aware that more families are ‘dangerously’ living under highway bridges because of poverty? Apart from a few sectors like the telecommunications industry, who wants to invest in a country ravaged by terrorists, kidnappers and lack of electricity supply?
In terms of infrastructural development, the federal government is only interested in fooling the masses. The trillions embezzled by the leaders of different regimes could have developed some parts of Nigeria to international standards…
Fuel Subsidy Removal – Labour Threatens Mass Uprising
Remove fuel subsidy, invite revolution– Balarabe Musa
Falana Tasks Lawyers to Join Masses' Revolt Against Fuel Subsidy Removal
Fuel subsidy removal, threat to nation’s unity – ACN
Fuel Subsidy Removal Unconstitutional, Anti-People – Senator Ndume
Senator Tutare Rejects Removal Of Fuel Subsidy
Cleric rejects subsidy removal
Fuel Subsidy: Ngozi Wahala’s Waiting Game
Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The Nigerian Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okongo-Iweala aka Ngozi Wahala ‘flawed’ the senate when she was summoned to ‘explain the alleged overshooting of oil subsidy funds from N240 billion appropriated in the 2011 budget by National Assembly to N1.5 trillion’. She told the senate joint committee that she would prefer to return for another Q & A session because it would be easier if the committee had documents from the ministry before a verbal crossfire.
The joint committee fell for her ‘trap’ and allowed her to go without asking her important questions e.g. the intention of the selfish federal government to remove fuel subsidy early next year and make life harder for the masses. However, the senate intends to hold a three day public hearing on fuel subsidy, starting on November 22.
Why did she not prepare the documents before the government announced the plan to remove fuel subsidy? The senate did not even bother to ask such a question; after all, what most senators are after is their share of fuel subsidy removal or ‘oil booty’. Was that how she carried out her duties in the World Bank? Her second time as Nigeria’s finance minister may be a waste of time and economic woes for the nation.
Could the British Prime Minister or any member of the coalition Government Cabinet tell a committee in the House of Commons to wait for documents before a Q & A session? The answer is capital NO. Nevertheless, such gullibility does not exist among MPs in the House of Commons. They are ready to 'face' anybody.
St Paul’s Cathedral: Another Resignation (2)
The City of London Corporation initially threatened to serve eviction notices to Occupy London Stock Exchange (OLSX) protesters, which was to be followed by legal action, if they refused to leave St Paul’s churchyard. The eviction notices were suspended after the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral Rt Rev Graeme Knowles resigned and the cathedral backed down from plans to take legal action against protesters.
The church has allowed the anti-capitalist protesters aka OLSX to remain in the churchyard until next year; as long as protesters could reduce the amount of tents in the premises for health and safety reasons. Knowles was the third member of staff at St Paul’s to resign.
The Canon Chancellor, Rev Dr Giles Fraser was the first to resign, followed by a cathedral chaplain Fraser Dyer. Like the famous banner that reportedly caused a disagreement at St Paul’s Cathedral, what would Jesus do?
Policeman gets drunk and spends night at St Paul's protest camp
