Within the hallowed halls of the Presidential Villa, one other Nationwide Financial Council (NEC) assembly has come and gone.
Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name for a “formidable alliance” to finish poverty sounds good, doesn’t it? “We should try to create an atmosphere the place each Nigerian has the chance to thrive,” he says.
Let’s discuss concerning the elephant within the room – or ought to I say, the billionaires within the room. Invoice Gates and Aliko Dangote graced us with their presence, showered with reward for his or her philanthropy. Don’t get me mistaken, their contributions are commendable. However when did we change into a nation so depending on the goodwill of billionaires and personal sector handouts?
The vp acknowledges that the issues inherited by the Tinubu administration can’t be solved in a single day. Truthful sufficient.
Now, let’s dissect a number of the choices made at this grand assembly of minds. The council gave the inexperienced gentle for implementing suggestions on flood, erosion, drought, and desertification. Incredible! However wait, didn’t we have already got businesses liable for these points? What’s been occurring all this time? Creating new committees and councils appears to be our nationwide pastime. I can already see the recent nameplates being engraved for the Nationwide Flood, Erosion, Drought, and Desertification Administration Council. One other layer of paperwork is simply what we would have liked, proper?
Talking of paperwork, the push for state police remains to be crawling alongside at a snail’s tempo. Solely 4 states haven’t submitted their memoranda? I’m shocked – shocked, I inform you – that our ever-efficient state governments are dragging their toes on such a essential challenge. The council’s “closing name” feels extra like a guardian half-heartedly telling their teenager to wash their room. I gained’t maintain my breath ready for Monday’s deadline to be met.
Let’s not overlook the dietary disaster dealing with our nation. The council’s decision to prioritise vitamin interventions within the 2025 finances is commendable. However 2025? What about now? Our kids are hungry in the present day. They’re stunted in the present day. By 2025, we could be dealing with a misplaced era. However at the very least we’ll have a well-funded committee to review the issue.
The monetary replace offered by the accountant-general is all the time a spotlight of those conferences. The Extra Crude Account stands at a whopping $473,754.57. That’s proper – our nationwide piggy financial institution wouldn’t even purchase a modest house in Lagos. However concern not, we have now over N3 billion in our Pure Assets Fund. I’m certain that’ll cowl all our infrastructural wants and social programmes. Who wants sustainable financial insurance policies when you may have pocket change?
Lastly, the formation of a committee to eradicate vaccine-derived poliovirus is a reminder of our healthcare challenges. It’s 2024, and we’re nonetheless battling ailments that a lot of the world has lengthy forgotten. However don’t fear – we’ve acquired Sanother committee on the case. I’m certain they’ll report month-to-month to NEC, and we’ll all sleep higher figuring out that studies are being filed someplace.
Additionally simply once you thought it couldn’t worsen, Nigeria finds itself within the throes of one more gas disaster. It’s as predictable because the wet season, however far much less welcome. Vice President Shettima, taking part in the function of firefighter-in-chief whereas President Tinubu is off in China, has summoned the standard suspects to Aso Rock for what I’m certain was a riveting assembly about the identical outdated downside.
The minister of state for petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri emerged from this high-level pow-wow to guarantee us all that every part is beneath management. The place have we heard that earlier than? Oh, proper – each single time we’ve had a gas disaster prior to now few a long time.
Lokpobiri, with all of the conviction of a person making an attempt to promote ice to Eskimos, tells us that the NNPC has “adequate gas provides to fulfill nationwide demand.” Effectively, isn’t {that a} aid? I suppose all these queues at petrol stations throughout the nation are simply Nigerians participating of their new favorite pastime – ready in line for enjoyable.
However wait, there’s extra! The minister urges us to stay calm as a result of elevated availability will foster competitors and drive down costs. I’m sorry, however have we entered an alternate universe the place the essential legal guidelines of economics all of a sudden apply to Nigeria’s gas sector? The final time I checked, “elevated availability” in Nigeria often means extra gas for the black market, not decrease costs on the pump.
And right here’s the kicker – the federal government, we’re informed, shouldn’t be liable for current hikes in gas prices. In fact not! It’s most likely the fault of these pesky market forces that appear to work all over the place else on the earth besides Nigeria. Or possibly it’s the alignment of the celebrities. Who is aware of?
The chief director at Nigeria Mainstream, Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mugo Kalu Okuoha, assures us that “all regulatory efforts at the moment are geared in the direction of stabilising provide.” I’m unsure what they had been geared in the direction of earlier than, however I’m glad they’ve lastly determined to do their job.
Okuoha goes on to vow elevated working hours at loading depots, immediate vessel clearance and prolonged hours for truck outs. It’s virtually as if these are novel concepts that nobody has ever considered earlier than. Who knew that working longer hours may assist resolve a provide downside? Groundbreaking stuff, really.
And let’s not overlook the pièce de résistance – the reinforcement of assist for native refineries. As a result of nothing says “vitality independence” fairly like refineries which have been in numerous states of disrepair for years. I’m certain this time, they’ll magically begin working at full capability and resolve all our issues.
In all seriousness, this gas disaster is simply one other symptom of a system that’s been failing for much too lengthy. We’ve deregulated, we’ve regulated, we’ve created businesses upon businesses, and but right here we’re – nonetheless queuing for gas, nonetheless paying by way of the nostril.
We don’t want extra conferences. We want motion. We want an entire overhaul of our vitality sector. We want transparency, accountability, and most significantly, we want outcomes. We’ve been by way of this earlier than, and we’ll get by way of it once more.
Within the meantime, I’ll be right here, watching this tragicomedy unfold, hoping towards hope that sometime we are able to really resolve these gas disaster issues as an alternative of simply speaking about them. However I gained’t be holding my breath – I would like to save lots of my vitality for the following.
