FUEL SCARCITY: Fix the problem, stop blame game, Soyinka tells Buhari ON JANUARY 1, 20183:41 AMIN NEWSCOMMENTS Lagos—


Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has broken his silence on the fuel crisis rocking the country, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to fix the problem, rather than engage in trading blames. Buhari and Soyinka In a statement issued in Lagos, Soyinka said:

“The government has permitted itself to be fooled by the peace of those empty streets, but also by the orderly, patient, long-suffering queues that are admittedly prevalent in the city centres.”[i][/i]

In the statement titled: ‘Blame passing: The New Year Gift to a Nation’, which was made available to journalists in Lagos, Soyinka reiterated why the government must urgently address the crisis. He said: “Just getting past fuelling stations was traumatising, an obstacle race through seething, and frustrated masses of humanity, only to find ourselves on vast stretches of emptied roads pleading for occupation.

As for obtaining the petroleum in the first place – the less said the better. “I suspect that this government has permitted itself to be fooled by the peace of those empty streets, but also by the orderly, patient, long-suffering queues that are admittedly prevalent in the city centres.

He also cited the clipping of the 1977 edition of the Daily Times when the then Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Muhammadu Buhari was quoted as saying, “Fuel crisis may be over next year.” He continued: “It is time the reporting monitors of government moved to city peripheries and sometimes even some other inner urban sectors, such as Ikeja and Maryland from time to time to see, and listen! “Pronouncements – such as the 1977 above – again re-echoing by rote in 2017– are a delusion at best, a formula that derides public intelligence. Buying time.

Passing blame. “Yes, of course, the current affliction must be remedied, and fast, but is there a dimension to it that must be brought to the fore, simultaneously and forcefully? This had better be the framework for solving even a shortage that virtually paralysed the nation.”

“It is however a masterful end-of-year image to take into the coming year, not only for the individual now at the helm of government, General Buhari, but for a people surely credited with the most astounding degree of patience and forbearance on the African continent – except of course among themselves, when they turn into predatory fiends.

“When many of us are blissfully departed, an updated rendition of this same clipping – with a change of cast here and there – will undoubtedly be reproduced in the media, with the same alibis, the same in-built panacea of blame passing.”

The Professor noted that  there were other challenges faced by Nigerians before the present fuel crisis which require immediate fixing, which the government has left unattended to.

Soyinka added, “As the tussle for the next round of power gets hotter in the coming year, the electorate will again be manipulated into losing sight of the base issue… Sooner than later, but not as soon as pledged, the fuel crisis will pass. And then, of course, we shall await the next round of shortages, then a recommencement of blame passing.

“What will be the commodity this time – food perhaps? Maybe even potable water? In a nation of plenty, nothing is beyond eventual shortage – except, of course, the commonplace endowment of pre-emptive planning and methodical execution.”

Source:

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/fuel-scarcity-fix-problem-stop-blame-game-soyinka-tells-buhari/


Lalasticlala, obinoscopy, oam4j

Buhari should stop blaming those exploiting the weak and poorly-managed system to amass profit but the system itself and its managers who make it (sharp practices) possible.

What's his job as Petroleum Minister? ...and what're the jobs of DPR and NNPC that all report to him as Petroleum Minister?

Following

Fuel Crisis is a Creation of False Federalism

The cost of petrol per gallon in California is not the same in Texas. In the United States, there is no such thing as a fixed subsidized national price for fuel. In Alaska you can buy fuel for above $3 while in Maryland, it is slightly above $2.

The logic is simple. The United States is a federation and as such, the federal government cannot decide in totality what the price of fuel should be in both California and Texas. These are autonomous states and therefore have a degree of control over how petrol is sold and regulated in their territory. A state that is opposed to global warming can impose a 3 cent tax on fuel to discourage residents from burning too much fuel in the state!

Let us return to Nigeria

In Nigeria, while a basket of tomatoes could sell for NGN5,000 in Kano, the same tomatoes could be selling for NGN15,000 in Lagos. The reason why this is so is simple. The federal government is not in charge of the tomatoes business. So there is no injustice in buying a basket of tomatoes cheaper in it's place of production (Kano) than in the place where it is more valuable (Lagos).

In the tomato business, the end user in Lagos pays for the risk, transportation and even taxes for the tomatoes he consumes. This is how it should be anyway.

Let's look at petrol in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, the price of petrol in Sokoto is the same as the price of Petrol in Port Harcourt. Why? Because the federal government has so much money and can therefore pay for this to be so.

Remember, in the tomatoes business, the end user in Lagos pays for the transportation, but in the petrol business, the federal government pays for the end user in Sokoto! I am not done.

The reason why the FG pays subsidy for fuel is not because it wants to necessarily make the product cheap, it is because it wants to make the price of the product uniform across Nigeria. Remember, in reality, Nigeria is a unitary state.

I do not need to remind Nigerians about how much we have spent in making petroleum products unified for the past decades.

If we do not put an end to this unitary system on time, the unitary system will end us in time.
Copied

jerseyboy:
Fuel Crisis is a Creation of False Federalism

The cost of petrol per gallon in California is not the same in Texas. In the United States, there is no such thing as a fixed subsidized national price for fuel. In Alaska you can buy fuel for above $3 while in Maryland, it is slightly above $2.

The logic is simple. The United States is a federation and as such, the federal government cannot decide in totality what the price of fuel should be in both California and Texas. These are autonomous states and therefore have a degree of control over how petrol is sold and regulated in their territory. A state that is opposed to global warming can impose a 3 cent tax on fuel to discourage residents from burning too much fuel in the state!

Let us return to Nigeria

In Nigeria, while a basket of tomatoes could sell for NGN5,000 in Kano, the same tomatoes could be selling for NGN15,000 in Lagos. The reason why this is so is simple. The federal government is not in charge of the tomatoes business. So there is no injustice in buying a basket of tomatoes cheaper in it's place of production (Kano) than in the place where it is more valuable (Lagos).

In the tomato business, the end user in Lagos pays for the risk, transportation and even taxes for the tomatoes he consumes. This is how it should be anyway.

Let's look at petrol in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, the price of petrol in Sokoto is the same as the price of Petrol in Port Harcourt. Why? Because the federal government has so much money and can therefore pay for this to be so.

Remember, in the tomatoes business, the end user in Lagos pays for the transportation, but in the petrol business, the federal government pays for the end user in Sokoto! I am not done.

The reason why the FG pays subsidy for fuel is not because it wants to necessarily make the product cheap, it is because it wants to make the price of the product uniform across Nigeria. Remember, in reality, Nigeria is a unitary state.

I do not need to remind Nigerians about how much we have spent in making petroleum products unified for the past decades.

If we do not put an end to this unitary system on time, the unitary system will end us in time.
Copied

I ask you sir. Restructuring and true federalism remains the answer to all series of jamborees from Aso rock?

emmie14:

I ask you sir. Restructuring and true federalism remains the answer to all series of jamborees from Aso rock?

same way referendum is not in nigeria constitution so Restructuring is not too.
So forget about that and enjoy niger area the way it is.

emmie14:

I ask you sir. Restructuring and true federalism remains the answer to all series of jamborees from Aso rock?

In one word; YES

jerseyboy:


In one word; YES

Thank you. Remain blessed.

loveth360:
same way referendum is not in nigeria constitution so Restructuring is not too.
So forget about that and enjoy niger area the way it is.

The same constitution is subject to amendments. The era of business as usual is over. Why are you against restructuring and true federalism? That's the only way to solve both political and economic confusion before this fragile nation. I assure you restructuring & true federalism is imminent.

Old news

emmie14:


The same constitution is subject to amendments. The era of business as usual is over. Why are you against restructuring and true federalism? That's the only way to solve both political and economic confusion before this fragile nation. I assure you restructuring & true federalism is imminent.

is good to dream.
You can never restructuring in nigeria,the reason why everybody was shouting restructuring is gone and everybody is back to his shell.

As for me i dont believe in nigeria unity.

emmie14:

I ask you sir. Restructuring and true federalism remains the answer to all series of jamborees from Aso rock?

Before political restructuring, deregulation of petrol prices would fix issue of periodic scarcity and eliminate corruption in that sector permanently

aolawale025:


Before political restructuring, deregulation of petrol prices would fix issue of periodic scarcity and eliminate corruption in that sector permanently

Restructuring honestly will minimize recklessness in management of economy , restore sanity , eliminate massive looting and corruption . It will be easier to manage the system. Tribal/religious sentiments will vanish to greater percentage.

jerseyboy:
Fuel Crisis is a Creation of False Federalism

The cost of petrol per gallon in California is not the same in Texas. In the United States, there is no such thing as a fixed subsidized national price for fuel. In Alaska you can buy fuel for above $3 while in Maryland, it is slightly above $2.

The logic is simple. The United States is a federation and as such, the federal government cannot decide in totality what the price of fuel should be in both California and Texas. These are autonomous states and therefore have a degree of control over how petrol is sold and regulated in their territory. A state that is opposed to global warming can impose a 3 cent tax on fuel to discourage residents from burning too much fuel in the state!

Let us return to Nigeria

In Nigeria, while a basket of tomatoes could sell for NGN5,000 in Kano, the same tomatoes could be selling for NGN15,000 in Lagos. The reason why this is so is simple. The federal government is not in charge of the tomatoes business. So there is no injustice in buying a basket of tomatoes cheaper in it's place of production (Kano) than in the place where it is more valuable (Lagos).

In the tomato business, the end user in Lagos pays for the risk, transportation and even taxes for the tomatoes he consumes. This is how it should be anyway.

Let's look at petrol in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, the price of petrol in Sokoto is the same as the price of Petrol in Port Harcourt. Why? Because the federal government has so much money and can therefore pay for this to be so.

Remember, in the tomatoes business, the end user in Lagos pays for the transportation, but in the petrol business, the federal government pays for the end user in Sokoto! I am not done.

The reason why the FG pays subsidy for fuel is not because it wants to necessarily make the product cheap, it is because it wants to make the price of the product uniform across Nigeria. Remember, in reality, Nigeria is a unitary state.

I do not need to remind Nigerians about how much we have spent in making petroleum products unified for the past decades.

If we do not put an end to this unitary system on time, the unitary system will end us in time.
Copied

A quite incisive analysis. True federalism will no doubt straighten a whole lot of things but that's a long-term measure.

What I feel the beleaguered oil sector needs now is deregulation. We're just on a merry-go-round at the moment.

Buhari isn't doing anything different than his predecessors did.

Yeye grammar. If he no wan speak simple English for us to understand make he keep him criticism.

Who for dat presidency go understand this tin now.

emmie14:

Restructuring honestly will minimize recklessness in management of economy , restore sanity , eliminate massive looting and corruption . It will be easier to manage the system. Tribal/religious sentiments will vanish to greater percentage.

I agree with you. That's a very bold step that has to be taken by Nigeria in the near future. The present crop of political "leaders" are satisfied with the status quo at the detriment of the people.

That's also why simple deregulation is rocket science because some people are feeding fat from the present subsidy regime