The Nigerian spirit is believed to be a great spirit, capable of weathering any storm, withstanding the worst of rainstorms, turning the tables around at the strangest of times and beating experts to their own very game. The ordinary Man on the streets understands this spirit as “e go beta”. But these ordinary men and women of our dear country are of the opinion that a storm is coming in 2012, which the Nigerian spirit will not be able to withstand. They are of the opinion that this is sure to be the straw that will break the camel’s back.
The Nigerian spirit is believed to be a great spirit, capable of weathering any storm, withstanding the worst of rainstorms, turning the tables around at the strangest of times and beating experts to their own very game. The ordinary Man on the streets understands this spirit as “e go beta”. But these ordinary men and women of our dear country are of the opinion that a storm is coming in 2012, which the Nigerian spirit will not be able to withstand. They are of the opinion that this is sure to be the straw that will break the camel’s back.
All of the ideas of these men and women did not originate from the blues, but came forth from the actions of those in the “boat of transformation” (Corridor of Power). The proposed removal of fuel subsidy, the transformation agenda, and above all the proposed 2012 budget altogether assassinated the belief of the Nigerian people in the spirit of “e go beta”.
Join me as usual as we try to give the National Assembly reasons to hinder the passage of the proposed appropriation bill in the interest of the common man and probably resuscitate his belief in a better tomorrow.
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5. SECURITY ALLOCATION: On the 22nd September, 2011, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (OFR) was invited to the Nigeria Guild of Editors annual conference in Benin, Edo state. At the conference, he spoke basically on the cost of governance in a democracy, he emphasized the amount of money spent on security in the 2011 Budget, he said: “Another interesting observation fact is that government says the problem of power shortage will be priority, yet the ministry of power only got 91billion Naira…while the security sector (Military, Police, internal affairs, NSA, Amnesty, Pension, Police reform, etc) got a mind boggling N1, 592billion Naira (N1.592Trillion)”. Recent posts emanating from social networks concerning the 2012 proposed budget (Facebook, Twitter, BBM and co.) are of the comic opinion that Jonathan allocated that much for security to purchase arms to curb any revolution that may want spring up come 2012.
The amount allocated for the security sector was so much yet we exist this insecure. In October 2010, after the bomb blast, the issue existed in the news for months. But here we are in a country where bomb blast has become more frequent in the North than rainfall. If the spending spree of 2011 could not secure us, 2012 would likely not do better. The problem is not the money; it is something bigger than money can buy therefore all that money proposed for 2012 should not be approved, but the problem should be identified and tackled head long.
4. Fuel subsidy removal: A French Author by the name Victor Hugo once wrote: “when dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right”. The debate for the sustenance or removal of fuel subsidy has gradually got to a point where the opinion of the congress (Masses) is no longer needed, the government has made up its mind and her decision is final. The dividend of democracy which is doing the will of the people has been trampled upon by our government. We have spoken but we were not heard, we have cried but no one to cheer us, “dictatorship” has become a fact, revolution is therefore on the cards. To avoid the outburst of this looming revolution, this bill should not be approved.
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3. Funds from fuel subsidy removal are invisible: Our government are a group of “lie down” comedians, we have been battling with the sustenance of fuel subsidy, but they have made the choice to remove it without the consent of the Nigerian masses. They feed us with their unbelievable words that these funds will be diverted into social welfare. The funds are now largely invisible in the new budget, thereby giving little or no hope for social welfare. This country is on the edge of its Arab spring, every decision is sensitive so should be decided wisely. Until the budget is adjusted to magnify where our “removed” subsidy will go, the bill should not be approved.
2. Ratio of recurrent expenditure to capital: For any business to thrive, capital is highly important, more important than recurrent expenditure (it is simple; recurrent expenditure will keep on recurring but capital in most cases is once and for all and will produce revenue in due course). Our government in its infinite “wiz-dorm” wants us to believe in the charade of the budget theme: “Fiscal Consolidation, inclusive growth and job creation”. The countries that have threaded the path of development ahead of us did not blindly spend all their fortune on paying Salaries alone and very little on capital projects that can pay such salaries in the closest future and claim Job creation. The amount proposed for recurrent expenditure in this budget is 72% of the entire budget. Capital spending was proposed to be N1.32Trillion (about 28%) which is not too bad but appreciably low compared to the amount we spend in paying extravagant Politicians and Military personnel. Some even belief the amount of amount allocated to security is not in our interest but to ensure they do not contemplate a coup come 2012.
1. Presidential “prudence” on food: The transformation captain and President of the Nigerian state, Goodluck Jonathan (PhD), in his budget proposal speech said; “…we cannot subject the well-being of Nigerians to such large fluctuations and must therefore protect ourselves by managing our finances prudently…” How prudent can a Nation get, when the number 1 and 2 citizens of such a Nation think it is wise to allocate N992.57 million of the budgets to feeding them?. How on Earth do they expect the ordinary Nigerian to sacrifice his/her penny while they lavish their pound? If this was the only problem the budget had, it is sufficient reason for the budget not to be approved.
The National Assembly has the fate of about 162million Nigerians on their desk and they would make or mar the future of our great country Nigeria, we are just giving them our view as touching what we know to be the right course to thread to resuscitate the belief of the Nigerian Man and to ensure of a better tomorrow.
God, save nigeria.
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