take dat: They may be no option to full deregulation of the downstream sector in the long run but what palliative measures have the government put on ground before embarking on full deregulation? What has the government done with the price differential of 32naira? Nothing.
A country like China who import most of its crude oil for refining recently reduced the price of petroleum products, why is Nigeria with its abundant oil attempting to increase price of petroleum products? Many OPEC states are into State capitalism, where government own refineries so why is our government not copying them? This government is simply bereft of ideas

Maxymilliano:

Glad you talked of State capitalism, but is this not the same thing we've tried over the years and it's not working? Would there have been any need for deregulation if the whole downstream sector is working efficiently? The idea of Stae capitalism may have worked elsewhere but it is simply not working in Nigeria and will you have preferred the staus quo to remain? The idea of deregulation was not just conceived yesterday, same vein fuel importation did not started yesterday, but must things be allowed to continue like that?

Talking of palliatives, I hope the government looks into this and improve upon the Sure-P of a thing, but concluding that a government that is trying to do the necessary evil to ensure a long lasting solution to the perennial problem associated with the downstream sector is bereft of ideas is disingenuous of you.

Fatdon: I feel sorry for GEJ, who is
trapped between the Western
Oil companies and Nigerians. He
is trying to free Nigerians from
the bondage of economic ruin,
yet all he gets is abuse from the Nigerians he is trying to help.
When the revolution comes, one
assured outcome will be the loss
of the Niger Delta and with it
the so called fuel subsidy. We
will learn, over the bodies of our neighbors, brothers, pregnant
wives and sisters how to think
clearly and know our real
interests.
No group of intelligent honest
people be they NNPC, FGN can go and forcefully steal oil from the
oil producing communities with
the help of the IOCs. Only
looters can do it over the
protests of MEND, the Ogoni,
Ikwerre, and other oil producing communities. These
looters FGN and the oil
companies will never, never ever
be honest with Nigerians. One
would think after the Farouk
Lawan saga that our people will learn the bitter truth about
the so called fuel subsidy.

odehaj: Military should take over permanently in Nigeria!

take dat: If state capitalism does not work for us its because we have had inefficient governments in the past but that is not to say that GEJ cannot set in the right template for it to work after all he made promises of establishing greenfield refineries and rehabilitating existing refineries while contesting for elections. In january he promised to put in palliatives and gradual phasing out of subsidy before full deregulation. This shows he is not consistent as a leader to all of a sudden renege on earlier promises

PointB: NLC should clarify their position. Are they against deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry or are they simply against fuel price increase?

Besides, what made NLC think that the 'common man' trust them to champion any cause in this country especially after the fiasco in January, when they allowed themselves to be used by oil marketers and desperate politicians? Those who place their fate in NLC will only gnash their teeth afterwards.
In as much as government continues to pay fuel marketers subsidies, there will always to loopholes to be exploited by them and perhaps government to scam. Full deregulation of the downstream sector remains the best way to deal with subsidy scam, and free up funds for other use.

Subsidising consumption is a silly practice! Put the subsidy in production!

Omen100: Many at times, I don't like joining issues with the likes of point-b & other pathetic butt-lickers of this present govt, because u feed on the scrubs that fell down from the dinning table of this useless govt doesn't mean that u are involved, yes the Labour have no moral right to challenge the govt, but if should declare a nationwide strike today & protest, I will gladly make myself available because I am not doing it for myself but for my unborn Children 4 them to have a better Nigeria to live.

Maxymilliano:

The country cannot afford to revert back to State capitalism because the time is simply not there for any form of expermenting, the citizens are asking questions and the government is trying hard to provide answers. Working out a template for a return to State capitalism will only take us back to where we are coming from.

The rehabilitation of the existing refineries is on already and to be done in phases, the impact is yet to be felt because it is the company that designed and build the refineries that was contracted, and it will require a sort of technical evaluation by the firm before the rehabilitation can commence, but the company assured it will be done in 18 months.

The Greenfield refineries is a different kettle of fish, the government has identified choice locations for the refineries to be sited but many issues arose in the course of the feasibility study where governors of some of the chosen States were accused of influencing the decision on the accepted locations. An example is Kogi State, where the former governor, Abubakar Idris was accused of using his position to influence FG decision on the choice of location of the greenfield refineries to be sited in Kogi, this is not an issue to be ignored and that's why the government is ensuring that the I's are dotted and the t's are crossed to avoid causing unnecessary and avoidable disaffection among the denizen of the host communities before kick starting the project.

odehaj: Military should take over permanently in Nigeria!

take dat: To say that government cannot engage in state capitalism is dereliction of duty. I have not argued against deregulating the sector, I have only stated that Nigeria is not ripe for it "now". The infrastructures to accelerate deregulation are not on ground, no genuine investor will come in now that there is power problem, crude oil theft, vandalisation of pipelines etc.

take dat: To say that government cannot engage in state capitalism is dereliction of duty. I have not argued against deregulating the sector, I have only stated that Nigeria is not ripe for it "now". The infrastructures to accelerate deregulation are not on ground, no genuine investor will come in now that there is power problem, crude oil theft, vandalisation of pipelines etc.

Maxymilliano:

If I may ask bro, when will the country be ripe for deregulation? It is this same mindset that the country is not ready for total liberalization of the downstream sector that forced Obasanjo and Yar'adua to jettison the idea but will it do us any good if we keep postponing the doomsday?

There is gross infrastructural deficit and that's why some of the problems you enumerated above are been looked into to ensure a conducive business environment for potential investors.

And that is why the Sure-P of a thing was instituted to offer palliatives to cushion the effect of any burden on the citizen that may arise as a result of government actions. But the problem is that most of us don't channel our question to the right quarters and that's why you see some people coming to nairaland and be asking what government is doing with the money saved from subsidy instead of directing same to the appropriate quarters for possible answers.

I read a report on page 58 of the Thursday edtion of The Nation newspaper where the governor of Niger State came out to say that Niger State Sure-P funds has hit N2.5B since the disbursement, I'm quite sure other States will have similar figure in their kitty but how many of the governors have come out openly to declare what they've gotten so far from the disbursement? And instead of us to direct our questions to the right quarters, we all got our attention fixated on the FG while the governors are making a mincedmeal of what was suppose to be our share of the subsidy.

PointB: The threat to pull down Jonny Boy government with fuel price increase protest is very lame - indeed a joke There is no history of such in Nigeria, and there will never be until Nigeria is one, and that will not happen, as shown January for sake of fuel pump price increase.

If NLC calls for their jamboree, GEJ will flood the streets and venue with soldiers and armoured tanks, a tried and tested template. Prior to that, I would have called and warned my friends and relatives not to join the protests, just to hear their reassuring, 'Join for what, I have better things to do with my time'?

NLC welcome to your 20 Naira protest, you will walk alone! Deregulation MUST happen!!

canadianprince:

People like you are the one responsible for the persistency in the backwardness of the country Nigeria. This is a commendable attempt by your NLC in confronting the Fed. govt against unnecessary price hike in fuel, aimed at the collective interest of the nationales and you're here uttering trashes. Rise and motivate Nigerians to fight for their right. Your govt should erode corruption from its political dispensation rather than, instigating the afflictions inflicted on the citizens by poverty.

Fatdon: I feel sorry for GEJ, who is
trapped between the Western
Oil companies and Nigerians. He
is trying to free Nigerians from
the bondage of economic ruin,
yet all he gets is abuse from the Nigerians he is trying to help.
When the revolution comes, one
assured outcome will be the loss
of the Niger Delta and with it
the so called fuel subsidy. We
will learn, over the bodies of our neighbors, brothers, pregnant
wives and sisters how to think
clearly and know our real
interests.
No group of intelligent honest
people be they NNPC, FGN can go and forcefully steal oil from the
oil producing communities with
the help of the IOCs. Only
looters can do it over the
protests of MEND, the Ogoni,
Ikwerre, and other oil producing communities. These
looters FGN and the oil
companies will never, never ever
be honest with Nigerians. One
would think after the Farouk
Lawan saga that our people will learn the bitter truth about
the so called fuel subsidy.

take dat: If we fully deregulate now it will take a minimum of two years before investors are able to put up functional refineries so we will continue depending on importation for some time. Total deregulation means government will hands off totally and its will be almost impossible for government to legislate price or control price so leaving us at the mercy of importers. Prices of Petroleum products is largely determined by International prices of crude oil, value of the dollar and local politics of developed nations. So no matter what, prices will be high when we take into consideration that an importer will want to maximise profits in the short run, the effect of all these will be negative on Nigerians.
Is government willing to increase minimum wage of workers? Has government really tackled unemployment rate? What measures are on ground to control inflationary rate? Is Naira appreciating against the dollar? So many questions and no answers on ground and you expect Nigerians to simply fold their hands because government cannot rehabilitate the existing refineries, build new ones, and set in the right templates to verify products imported and stopping pipeline vandalisation and illegal bunkering? Then our government is a joke