Nigerians suddenly woke to discover themselves beleaguered by seeming unprecedented austerity measures of such magnitude that opposition PDP can hardly be faulted in its exaggerated conclusion that Nigerians would not survive the harsh economic measures. But, in reality, Nigeria go survive. The only truth is that President Muhammadu Buhar should be preparing for post-Aso Rock years in which, otherwise, he might not have the moral to speak up for poor suffering Nigerians.

Bluntly put, Buhari’s austerity measures are such that would be open licence for any Aso Rock tenant from 2023 to bludgeon the economic life of Nigerians and he (Buhari) would find himself helpless in any urge to speak up or he would be reminded of his government’s economic measures. Too early to prepare for such? Less than three years is too near and we have not seen the last of such austerity measures by Buhari. More are coming, at least, when compelled by fast-moving and uncontrollable events all over the world. Whoever foresaw coronavirus a year ago? How many foresaw the crash of world oil prices? The most disturbing is that each time the IMF or World Bank or both came calling, either the foot soldiers of the two insitutions or Nigerian officials ever assured that no economic Armaggedon was on the way. Yet, this path has eventually been mapped out as those responsible for the destruction of the country’s economy are keeping afloat while innocent poor Nigerians, henceforth, will be gasping for economic breath.

How fair is Buhari to poor Nigerians who are now to bear the brunt of the new austerity measures? And the rashness of appealing to Nigerians to make necessary sacrifice? Which sacrifice? Even Buhari has not got the courage to tell Nigerians the gross earnings, especially the allowances of National Assembly members. Should National Assembly members not make part of the sacrifice? To deceive Nigerians, there is the occasional offer of slashing salaries of National Assembly members for six months. The real bread is their allowances, which are criminal in a struggling Nigeria but are never disclosed for fear of hostile public reaction. How dare Aso Rock (to) impliedly tell Nigerians to continue footing the bill for clothing allowance and newspaper allowance for National Assembly members?

Were they ever moving about naked before being elected? If not, why do taxpayers have to clothe them (National Assembly members) in their new assignment? If they could not clothe themselves, why did they seek election in the first place? And if they belonged to the nude community before being elected, Nigerians should be allowed to see their nude members of National Assembly. It is, therefore, irritating that taxpayers subjected to austerity measures would continue paying clothing allowance for these fellows. And to be fair to to National Assembly members, they never sought all these obscene allowances in the first place. So, why provide them all the unnecessary pampering?

As if these were not deplorable enough, Speaker Gbajabiamila bought over 400 new vehicles for his colleagues and was going to deliver the vehicles on the eve of outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria but for the public outcry against such economic/financial insensitivity. The vehicles were then purportedly withheld from distribution? Where are these vehicles? Already delivered? If so, what sacrifice are taxpayers being called upon to make under austerity measures? If the vehicles are yet to be delivered, the new atmosphere of austerity compels total and immediate abandonment of the whole idea of buying vehicles for National Assembly members, who, in any case, must have been monetised for their transportation. Indeed, if the new vehicles had been delivered, Nigerians would have been deceived by the National Assembly leadership.

Is that all? While Nigerians are being taxed almost to economic death, the National Assembly is to be renovated at a whopping sum of twenty five billion naira (N25 billion). How much would it cost to build a new National Assembly complex? How does renovation of National Assembly for N25 billion fit into the new austerity era? If the renovation were to proceed, the same fellows would shamelessly and audaciously return in a few years’ time to propose the construction of an entirely new National Assembly, again, with taxpayers’ money.

The list so far comprises hike in fuel price, hike in value added tax, hike in import duties, introduction of stamp duty on tenancy agreement, hike in electricity tariff, hike in cost of pre-paid meter, which, ordinarily should be free, hike in personal income tax, various levies by all state and local governments throughout the country, etc. Indirect tax is also being proposed, which will raise the cost of pure water for the poorest Nigerians. What else is not to be taxed in Nigeria? The free oxygen we breathe?

Is this the purpose or benefit or reward for electing a government? Do these APC fellows realise they are facing the electorate in about 30 months’ time? If they don’t know, the showdown is as near as that.

On all these matters, labour unions are out, as usual, up to their tricks with vague calls for action or on government to reverse the austerity measures. What is their record to inspire public confidence in such demand? Labour leaders were sleeping when, at the peak of coronavirus hazard, APC government exploited the lockdown to sneak withdrawal of oil subsidy on Nigerians. What was their reaction, if any? Union leaders also slept off and may not even be aware that price of pre-paid meter has shot up to N92,000, an increase of N20,000. Any reaction from union leaders? National Assembly threatened hell and bristone only to abandon Nigerian consumers to their fate by calling on Discos to drop the idea of estimated billing or consumers should refuse to pay. Have Discos necessarily stopped estimated billings? Who have been suffering? Poor consumers. Was it not after that that the government approved astronomical hike in power tariff?

Serious-minded workers’ union leadership would rather engage in well-marshalled battle against social discontent with itemised and convincing reasons for reviewing the austerity war, instead of rabble-rousing. Union leaders must list reasons for confrontation with Buhari for full reasons on why only poor Nigerians should be consigned to economic penury. Trade unionists must insist that National Assembly should not be exempt from austerity, a situation where monkey dey work and baboon dey chop.

Is it true that Nigeria’s National Assembly members earn more than their counterparts in other parts of the world? One other disturbing aspect of the austerity measures is the insincerity of government. It is difficult to understand why Nigerian government should fidget at any yellow card from IMF and World Bank. Anytime, these modern economic colonialists descend on Nigeria, both their officials and Nigerian government would always deny any imminent or even impending intrusion into our financial or economic matters. Yet, we are being choked with notorious economic poison.

Related News

To be fair, Nigeria is not the only country economically terrorised by by IMF and World Bank. Our handicap is that Nigeria is bedevilled with various compromised pressure groups, which, ostensibly, are believed to be championing the cause of the poor in society, usually victims of harsh economic measures. About last year, when speculations were rife about imposition of these economic measures, Nigerians were alerted in this column about lessons from other lands.

Specific focus was on French President Macron who, after a shock election victory on the wave of populism, turned round, on the instigation of IMF, to impose harsh economic reforms through, among others, introduction of petrol tax. That was a euphemism for removal of fuel subsidy. President Macron was subdued by people’s violent protests for 30 consecutive weekends. The potential anarchy forced the French president to restore the fuel subsidy. Today, France is not worse off, if not better. Why did IMF not intimidate France?

Ecuador, in Latin America, was another country, which, last year, faced months-long public protest against withdrawal of fuel subsidy. President Lenin Moreno, similarly, in the face of public unrest, had to call the bluff of IMF by restoring the fuel subsidy to stave off the looming state of anarchy.

Another insincerity is the bogus claims of IMF enthusiasts that fuel subsidy benefits only the elite and after, withdrawal of subsidy, fund would be available for building schools, hospitals, road construction, etc. Who are those complaining today and planning to protest against fuel price hike? Surely, not the elite but poorest Nigerians. Visit markets anywhere in Nigeria and listen to their groanings. Commute on any public transport and listen to their threats of revenge in 2023. How many IMF enthusiasts of fuel subsidy withdrawal are defending Buhari or APC?

Why should any country be afraid to subsidise its people? Does the United States not subsidise agriculture? Why did IMF or World Bank not intimidate United States into abandoning its subsidy on agriculture? Does United Kingdom not subsidise its health scheme, making it the best in the world? Has the IMF or World Bank blackmailed Britain on that score? No country in the world operates zero subsidy regime.

The only problem in Nigeria’s case is the operation of the subsidy scheme. Politicians and the well-connected in society always exploited the scheme through patronage of their political parties. Hence, the scandal of the fraudsters, political party leaders, their friends, associates, industrialists, religious leaders, media owners, bank executives, lawyers, all became emergency oil and fertilizer importers such that the report of a government probe revealed that, in many cases, the criminals were never delivering the purportedly imported fuel and fertilizer for which they were being paid. For all the exposure and the accompanying noise, many of the culprits were assisted by their friends in EFCC and government to escape and (to) flee abroad or are arrogantly moving untried in Nigeria.

Even lawyers were involved as accomplices in standing sureties for financial criminals to facilitate their escape abroad. Must innocent law-abiding Nigerians suffer for that with the withdrawal of fuel subsidy?

By the way, if government is so much against fuel subsidy, why does the same government continue to massively subsidise the value of the naira? How does that benefit ordinary and poor Nigerians? The major beneficiaries of naira subsidy are the elite who jaunket about the world, especially politicians, businessmen, religious leaders and religious fundamentalists on useless pleasure trips to Arab countries and Israel. Government should go the whole hog by scrapping naira subsidy, so that we can all enjoy equal treatment under a no-subsidy regime.

Lest we forget, for all the anger and criticism, we must not overlook a major achievement of the Buhari administration in the oil sector. So far, have we suffered fuel scarcity? That distinction has, however, been dented by the hardship in the land.

Postscript: Nigeria’s Central Bank is playing a fast one. According to the the bank, over N70 billion has been spent on printing new notes.  Which banks collected or are collecting the new notes? Visit any bank for transaction and all you can have are dirty, oh, very dirty notes.