“To Subsidize or Not To Subsidize” That is Not The Question [Guest Post]

The talk about fuel subsidy is an upheaval to the main issue on ground- corruption. With the subsidy removal we’ve seen prices of goods and commodities increased. Whether or not the fuel subsidy will improve livelihood as government claims cannot be determined as long as other factors are not checked and to say the continuing pain is unbearable is an understatement.

 

From newspaper reports and blackberry messages are comparisons on fuel prices, cost of living, minimum wage, and take home pay of other countries to Nigeria’s is like comparing apples to oranges. Be it OPEC member countries or simply African countries, the factors and indices used for comparison are as night to day.

 

The issue on ground is a conundrum- you cannot talk on fuel subsidy if the issue of corruption still abounds and corruption abounds with or without the subsidy.

 

Presently the so called ‘limited funds’ in government coffers, brings with it corruption in the highest order. Past governors and public holders are charged with corruption, those building refineries do so like it’s houses being built, those buying companies and properties in places like Dubai keep out-performing each other.

 

So, as government claims, if there is no money for projects, and yet there’s so much corruption, how worse will it get when government frees up money for tangible projects under the name of fuel subsidy? A glance at the present budget just gives the common man a headache. Corruption runs deep and until we uproot corruption in our society, I do not see us moving forward.

Folu Popoola

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