@ our esteemed viewers,

Any questions? This is also the time for you to ask

Wow: See refutation by logical analogy in play... me like.

noskyboy:

when you say corruption is being tackled, I ask, how much have we recovered from corrupt people, we don't know. some people have returned stollen money as revealed by Buhari, who are they and how much, we don't know. is that not corruption in it self? shielding some corrupt people and punishing some. so who should me be scared of, corrupt people or a partial corruption fighter?

I hope you understand this is a democratic settings and the process of judicial decision from one adjournment to another cannot be said to be a day job.
Nobody can be pronounced guilty except when pronounced so by the law court. So, your questions will be answered soon.

menzo4u:
At this point, I will like to educate you. 2016 budget started its planning process since 2015, and the implementation of subsidy removal started in 2016, so it is technically impossible to make up for the areas where the re-investment of subsidy will be targeted for now. But by taking such steps, the coming year will definitely will be a joyful one for us as a nation. The process of transition from one stage to another is not a day job. So subsidy removal is still in that process for now.

Again sir, Your argument is flawed, if the Government started the budget planning process since 2015, it means they technically removed fuel subsidy in 2015 ( while planning 2016 budget) so they should have started the process of diversifying the economy too in 2015 ( while planning 2016 budget). And that we have to wait for a year, while not paying subsidy, to fugure out which area to diversify our economy is laughable.

obiZEAL:

When ASUU Goes on their periodic strikes as a result of government not being able to reach their demands, holding the Government to ransom, do the Government resort to shouting down the public Universities so that there can be competition between the private Universities?
No, They don't! They dialogue, that's a characteristic of a good government.
Fuel subsidy removal cannot be justified.

The case of ASUU and the oil marketers are two different things Sir, so it is illogical to bring it into this argument

Freemanan:
Big ups to all debaters. Its been a "Wowing" brawl of intellect...

My questions have all been answered one way or the other...

Goodluck Mates.

Coming from one of our amiable judges, thank you Sir


Menzo4u, Betacitizen, noskyboy, obiZEAL

I must commend both parties for driving their points home.

My question for the pro-subsidy removal team is, what do you think will be the reaction of the populace if the subsidy is removed knowing that when the last government did so, we all know it resulted in the Occupy Nigeria facedown?

My question for the anti-subsidy removal team is, do you not think now is the appropriate time to remove the subsidy that gulp down a substantial amount of the government revenue since the global oil price is record low and our refineries have started working?

I will appreciate factual responses.

obiZEAL:

Again sir, Your argument is flawed, if the Government started the budget planning process since 2015, it means they technically removed fuel subsidy in 2015 ( while planning 2016 budget) so they should have started the process of diversifying the economy too in 2015 ( while planning 2016 budget). And that we have to wait for a year, while not paying subsidy, to fugure out which area to diversify our economy is laughable.

The government cannot or must avoid the mistake of the past administration by first sanitizing the people on the need to remove subsidy to avoid economic hullabaloo. You remember, the former administration just removed subsidy on January 1st without due planning and sanitization, and we all know what they got in return.

betacitizen:


The government? Did you forget that people like us are also the ones in government, they aren't machines. So, I hope you are aware of the current ongoing corruption war as regards the issue of arms deal? Don't you think combining such to facing oil sector will be a disaster? So, the governement is taking the step one after the other.

Mind you, there is no economic hardship for now, because the price of oil has fallen globally already, removing fuel subsidy pose no threat for now.

Are you trying to say The Federal Government Of Nigeria is not capable of multitasking?
So the whole country should be shut down because the Government is probing the arm scandal?
Of course not! If they want to, they can sanitize the oil sector, probe the arms deal and still give us good road and quality education at the same time.
Sir did you say there is no economic hardship? Do you know how much a dollar cost now?
Do have any idea the crises the CBN is facing? I will just assume you made a mistake on that statement.
Removal of Fuel subsidy at this time is unjustifiable.

Weedcrusher:
I must commend both parties for driving their points home.

My question for the pro-subsidy removal team is, what do you think will be the reaction of the populace if the subsidy is removed knowing that when the last government did so, we all know it resulted in the Occupy Nigeria facedown?

My question for the anti-subsidy removal team is, do you not think now is the appropriate time to remove the subsidy that gulp down a substantial amount of the government revenue since the global oil price is record low and our refineries have started working?

I will appreciate factual responses.

Question from the audience, kindly respond debaters.

Menzo4u, Betacitizen, noskyboy, obiZEAL

menzo4u:

The government cannot or must avoid the mistake of the past administration by first sanitizing the people on the need to remove subsidy to avoid economic hullabaloo. You remember, the former administration just removed subsidy on January 1st without due planning and sanitization, and we all know what they got in return.

And I Put it to you that this Government just made the same mistake!
No planning. No palliative measures, no increase in minimum wage, refineries are still down, no any form of reinvestment scheme, no concrete roadmap on how to diversify the economy...there is just no justification sir.

Weedcrusher:
I must commend both parties for driving their points home.

My question for the pro-subsidy removal team is, what do you think will be the reaction of the populace if the subsidy is removed knowing that when the last government did so, we all know it resulted in the Occupy Nigeria facedown?

The fact is that as at now, there is decline in the price of oil globally compared to 2012, so people can hardly feel any economic austerity as a result of subsidy removal which brought about the Occupy the Nation palava before

I so love this debate.........Read from beginning to the end.....
You guys are amazing and great.........I troway cap

menzo4u:

The case of ASUU and the oil marketers are two different things Sir, so it is illogical to bring it into this argument

They are both the same thing sir,you can point out their differences if you think otherwise, the both render services to the Government.

Weedcrusher:
I must commend both parties for driving their points home.

My question for the pro-subsidy removal team is, what do you think will be the reaction of the populace if the subsidy is removed knowing that when the last government did so, we all know it resulted in the Occupy Nigeria facedown?

People can see the seriousness in the present to tackle corruption, you know in 2012 the issue of oil bribery scandal was boldly written on our mind, so such cannot happen again

@Aminat508,

I see you dear

Weedcrusher:
I must commend both parties for driving their points home.

My question for the pro-subsidy removal team is, what do you think will be the reaction of the populace if the subsidy is removed knowing that when the last government did so, we all know it resulted in the Occupy Nigeria facedown?

My question for the anti-subsidy removal team is, do you not think now is the appropriate time to remove the subsidy that gulp down a substantial amount of the government revenue since the global oil price is record low and our refineries have started working?

I will appreciate factual responses.

Sir the refineries are just producing a peanut compared to our daily fuel demand, we use over 40 million liters of Fuel a day and the producing just below seven Million liters of petrol a day.
I don't think this is the right time to remove fuel subsidy is now, I think the right time to remove fuel subsidy is when the have fixed the refineries to maximum capacity, sufficiently increased the minimum wage, provide palliative measures and provide sufficient welfare packages for the populace, until then, the removal of Fuel subsidy is unjustifiable.

obiZEAL:

They are both the same thing sir,you can point out their differences if you think otherwise, the both render services to the Government.

The difference lies in their respective requests. ASUU seek to improve the education sector and improve lecturers' welfare, while the oil marketers seek to always increase their wealth through the subsidy.
Mind you, if the government grant ASSU's request it brings mutual benefit to both lecturers and students, but marketers on the other hand get enriched while the poor get poorer.

Weedcrusher:
I must commend both parties for driving their points home.

My question for the pro-subsidy removal team is, what do you think will be the reaction of the populace if the subsidy is removed knowing that when the last government did so, we all know it resulted in the Occupy Nigeria facedown?

My question for the anti-subsidy removal team is, do you not think now is the appropriate time to remove the subsidy that gulp down a substantial amount of the government revenue since the global oil price is record low and our refineries have started working?

I will appreciate factual responses.

thank you sir. I think removing subsidy because of oil price fall is just and escapist and opportunist move by the government, will subsidy removal automatically block leakages in the economy? will it reduce extravagant spending on allowances? will it make states to be self sufficient? no. there are other means to raise money. since oil price is low Nigerians are supposed enjoy low fuel price, (50naira pl). I tell you the government is just postponing the re - occupy Nigeria protest.

menzo4u:

The difference lies in their respective requests. ASUU seek to improve the education sector and improve lecturers' welfare, while the oil marketers seek to always increase their wealth through the subsidy.
Mind you, if the government grant ASSU's request it brings mutual benefit to both lecturers and students, but marketers on the other hand get enriched while the poor get poorer.

When the Government grant the marketers' request it also brings mutual benefit to the populace and the marketers to.
Secondly if the Government feels marketers are cheating the country what have stopped the Government from prosecuting them?

obiZEAL:

And I Put it to you that this Government just made the same mistake!
No planning. No palliative measures, no increase in minimum wage, refineries are still down, no any form of reinvestment scheme, no concrete roadmap on how to diversify the economy...there is just no justification sir.

Contrary to your claims, there are already schemes and programs on ground on how the subsidy removal will be used to bring diversification into the economy by meeting some foreign investors (according to President Buhari).

You can more on the program here

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/buhari-plans-diversification-of-nigerias-economy-in-2016-budget/

Thank you debaters.

Get ready to drop your closing arguments by 9:30pm.


Menzo4u, Betacitizen, Noskyboy, ObiZEAL


Cc:

Jarus
Freemanan
Isacolukay

menzo4u:

Contrary to your claims, there are already schemes and programs on ground on how the subsidy removal will be used to bring diversification into the economy by meeting some foreign investors (according to President Buhari).

You can more on the program here

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/buhari-plans-diversification-of-nigerias-economy-in-2016-budget/

Sir, you can't reply me with a link that has a head line, I will like you to outline succinctly, the practical steps that have been taken and not show me a statement where the president ' PLANS TO' diversify the economy.

obiZEAL:

When the Government grant the marketers' request it also brings mutual benefit to the populace and the marketers to.
Secondly if the Government feels marketers are cheating the country what have stopped the Government from prosecuting them?

Ok, now I understand you, mutual benefits like leaving our refineries "dead" without any attempt to revamp them but continue to pay the oil marketers right?

Mutual benefits like spending trillions of naira on oil subsidy when we have no efficient infrastructure on ground, poor health system, poor eductation system among others?

You got it all wrong Sir.
Prosecution is already on the way but we say NO to fuel subsidy.

I appreciate the efforts put in by both teams in addressing my questions. Good work from you guys. May the best team win

obiZEAL:

Sir, you can't reply me with a link that has a head line, I will like you to outline succinctly, the practical steps that have been taken and not show me a statement where the president ' PLANS TO' diversify the economy.

But you said no "plans" and I just showed you the "plans".

betacitizen:

I hope you understand this is a democratic settings and the process of judicial decision from one adjournment to another cannot be said to be a day job.
Nobody can be pronounced guilty except when pronounced so by the law court. So, your questions will be answered soon.

but sir, you have not answered me, why has the presidency not revealed the names and the amount of money they retrieved from thosed wwho sopposedly 'returned' stollen money. Are you trying to say that the constitution permits stealing as long as it would be returned in the future?. This administration is not being true to us with regards to it anti corruption war,

why dont we have private schools participating in this debate? this is another form of marginalization. pls the coordinator should address this in subsequent online debates.

best regards

menzo4u:

Ok, now I understand you, mutual benefits like leaving our refineries "dead" without any attempt to revamp them but continue to pay the oil marketers right?

Mutual benefits like spending trillions of naira on oil subsidy when we have no efficient infrastructure on ground, poor health system, poor eductation system among others?

You got it all wrong Sir.
Prosecution is already on the way but we say NO to fuel subsidy.

No sir, the Government, not the marketers, are the ones that are suppose to build and maintain our refineries.
The Government, and not the marketer are suppose to provide us with good infrastructure, quality education and better health care.
If the have failed to do that, its is not fair to blame anybody else.
Like I said earlier, there are allocations for all these things you have mentioned above, you cannot say because the Government have failed to implement those allocations, the subsidy should be removed.
The removal of subsidy now is not justifiable.

Closing argument::


Without necessarily trying to dig out points where there is none, I believe with my convincing facts, I have not just been able to convince the audience but my fellow debaters.

Having seen the pending benefits that the masses stand to gain from the removal of fuel subsidy, I say boldly and firmly that it is completely justified. Thanks.