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FUEL SUBSIDY AND PRICE CONTROL- SOLUTION TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA
FUEL SUBSIDY AND PRICE CONTROL- SOLUTION TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA
By: Victor Emejuiwe
No sane government should watch its citizens suffer untold hardship and live in poverty. The primary responsibility of government is to protect the life’s and to secure the welfare of the people. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu spontaneously announced the removal of fuel subsidy on the day of its inauguration without considering the attendant consequences of such a decision. In fairness to the removal, the amount of money claimed to be payment of subsidy in Nigeria was quite humongous from N300 billion during the Good Luck Jonathan administration in 2012, to N2.7 trillion in 2022. However, beyond the doubt as to the authenticity of the real value paid on subsidy, the secrecy and corruption associated with the entire subsidy regime was very un-palatable. It was as a result of this, that many Nigerians canvassed for the removal of subsidy. Nevertheless, there are some other school of thought who believes that the government was not sincere on its own part due to the lack of transparency and accountability in petrol consumption and subsidy payment. Also, even where several reports indicting subsidy saboteurs were released, the federal government did nothing to investigate and prosecute those who were accused of corruptly enriching themselves from the subsidy payments. Therefore, the payment of subsidy on its own was not the problem but the willingness of government to come clean with its transaction on subsidy payment and muster the political will to pervert corruption amongst the stakeholders was the major problem. The view on re-introduction of subsidy becomes necessary given the fact that payment of subsidy is a common global practice by governments all over the world. It is taken to ameliorate hardship faced by majority of citizens in the purchase of very expensive commodities. In this case, Nigeria being a mono-economy driven by sales of crude oil, has made the price of every other commodities reflective in the rise or fall in the price of crude oil. The subsidy regime cushioned a lot of hardship amongst Nigerian in the past and with its removal today, Nigerians have not been able to recover from the effect, as we can witness the continuous increase in the prices of all commodities in Nigeria. Most workers do not report to work on a daily basis, some business closed shops and the general standard of living has reduced. Couple with this fact, is government inactiveness in controlling the hike in the prices of locally produced commodities. The lack of a price stabilization and mechanization control which was hitherto implemented in the 70’s have made it possible for middle men to determine the prices of commodities in the market. The practice of the middle men is to acquire these goods from the dealers and hoard them so as to create scarcity and speculate a market price before they sell, with wide profit margin. If government enforce the price control Act as ordered recently by the federal high court on goods and commodities that are locally produced in Nigeria, the hoarders and speculators would run out of business and food items and other commodities would be available at the normal rate. The lack of a price control mechanism is what led to the failure of most government policies on agriculture. It is so unfortunate that the past government of President Muhammed Buhari, made efforts to encourage local production of food commodities such as rice and even provided subsidies to farmers to embark on local rice production, but instead of having the price of rice reduced, it rather led to more than 200 percent increase in the price of rice. Rice which was sold for N9600 before the ban on imported rice, skyrocket to N19,800, at a point, it rose to N36,000 and the government could not do anything to stop the hike. Under this present administration, a bag of rice sells for N77,000. It is an anomaly for government to provide incentives to local producers of commodities and at the same time, do not have control of the market price.
In light of the above, in the interim, the Federal Government should re-introduce subsidy on petrol and diesel under a more transparent regime and deal with saboteurs who divert the products to other countries and in the long run, the Federal government should get our refineries working at optimum capacity so that any attempt to remove subsidy on petrol and diesel will not have much impact on the price on petrol. Also, a list of commodities and items produced locally should be established and the market price should be determined under a price control, stabilization and mechanization regime. The government should enforce the laws and policy on price control. Finally, for resource mobilization, the government should stop oil theft so that more resources can be generated from crude oil and this would help us pay for the subsidy on petrol and also pay for the functionality of our refineries.
*Victor Emejuiwe
Monitoring and Evaluation/Strategic Communication Manager
Centre for Social Justice.
Abuja
08068262366
FUEL SUBSIDY AND PRICE CONTROL- SOLUTION TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA
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Bayelsa East Leaders, Elders, Women, Youths To Protest Over Marginalization In Sen Douye Diri Administration
Bayelsa East Leaders, Elders, Women, Youths To Protest Over Marginalization In Sen Douye Diri Administration
Leaders, stakeholders, women and youths in Bayelsa East Senatorial District has perfected preparations to stage a peaceful protest against Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri over marginalization and neglect in political appointments in the government since inception.
The people of the east also deserves sensitive offices in the government for their resolute support for the government since inception, but they have been marginalized. The office of the deputy governor from the east will balance the political structure.
Marginalization of the east people in sensitive government appointments is an outright disrespect to the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, Gen. Melford Okilo, and other leaders from the east senatorial district.
Even though the speaker of the state house of assembly is not considered, there are other competent individuals eminently qualified to handle the office of the deputy governor for the remaining years of the government.
The governor should consult former president, and other leaders from the east to chose a deputy governor from either Ogbia, Nembe or Brass.
The eastern region planned peaceful protest is a furtherance expression of dissatisfaction in accordance and solidarity with the group, the Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress Grassroot Movement (BSAGM) condemnation of Governor Diri administration over marginalization of appointments.
According to the eastern people, the governor has consciously and deliberately marginalized the east in sensitive political appointments in the government, pointing out that all the top offices in the government are handled by his relatives from Kolokuma-Opokuma and Sagbama.
For instance; all government house appointments are handled by his relatives, the chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, Director of Domestic, Director of Transport, including S.A Political, and other sensitive appointments in the government.
Governor Douye Diri has deliberately neglected and marginalized the east, we will exercise our constitutional right of a peaceful protest to express our dissatisfaction to the world.
Since the creation of Bayelsa State, successive administrations had maintained political conglomeration across the three senatorial district in the state, but Diri administration had neglected the east from inception.
The east is only been marginalized, and neglected in Diri administration. Alamieyeseigha, Jonathan, Sylva, and Dickson carried out fair, equal appointments, infrastructure across the state, in their administrations.
Successive governments since 1999, had fairly and transparently distributed political appointments across the senatorial district, but the contrary is Diri’s administration.
It is absolutely unfortunate that the east had been undermined by Diri, running a one-sided government of Kolokuma-Opokuma, and the whole state is watching the government.
In exercise of constitutional right of a peaceful protest, the east will carry out a peaceful protest to government house next week to publicly express their dissatisfaction to the world over the undemocratic marginalization of appointments in Diri administration.
Signed:
Chief Samuel Azibator – Ogbia
High Chief Nengi Sylvanus -Nembe
Chief Williams Naworio – Brass
Bayelsa East Leaders, Elders, Women, Youths To Protest Over Marginalization In Sen Douye Diri Administration
Security operatives recover AK-47 rifle in Kaduna community
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have recovered an AK-47 rifle and ammunition from a fleeing suspect.
Zagazola learnt that the recovery was made at about 2:00 p.m. on Feb. 11, 2026, during a routine patrol along the Kauru–Unguwan Ganye Road.
Security sources said the patrol team received intelligence about a suspicious motorcycle rider heading toward the area.
Following the tip-off, the operatives immediately mounted a snap roadblock along the route.
On sighting the checkpoint, the rider reportedly abandoned his motorcycle, dropped a bag and fled into nearby bush paths.
A search of the abandoned bag led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with its breach number filed off, one magazine and one 6.2mm live ammunition.
Security personnel have since launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspect.
Security operatives recover AK-47 rifle in Kaduna community
Suspected IED explosion foiled at Bayelsa State Secretariat, suspect arrested
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives have arrested a man following a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) incident at the Bayelsa State Secretariat in Yenagoa.
Zagazola reports that the explosion was heard on Feb. 11, 2026, at about 6:00 a.m., prompting an immediate response from police operatives attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit.
Sources said that the suspect, identified as Pentecost Elijah, 60, of Otuan in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, reportedly admitted to placing the suspected explosives in the secretariat complex.
According to preliminary investigations, the suspect claimed he sought to draw attention from the State Government due to perceived neglect.
The sources said that the area has been cordoned off, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, along with CBRN specialists, are conducting thorough sweeps of the complex. Authorities confirmed that the situation is currently under control, and investigations are ongoing.
Suspected IED explosion foiled at Bayelsa State Secretariat, suspect arrested
Bayelsa East Leaders, Elders, Women, Youths To Protest Over Marginalization In Sen Douye Diri Administration
Security operatives recover AK-47 rifle in Kaduna community
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