Subsidy Removal: Nigerians React To Tinubu’s Palliative
President Bola Tinubu
By Taiwo Ogunniyi
Cross section of Nigerians have expressed divergent views on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to give N8,000 to twelve million vulnerable Nigerian Families for six months to mitigate the effect of the removal
of fuel subsidy.
Choicereporters recalled that President Tinubu, in a letter to the House of Representatives recently said that 12 million families would get N8,000 over six months to ameliorate the hardships faced by Nigerians as a result of subsidy removal policy by his government.
The President said the initiative was aimed at helping poor and vulnerable Nigerians cope with the cost of meeting basic needs.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has approved the request of the president for the sum of N500 billion for the payment of the palliatives.
Our Correspondent Taiwo Ogunniyi, however, reports that some citizens
expressed divergent views on the N8,000 palliatives.
The Spiritual Father and Chairman, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement
Church Worldwide, Prophet Samuel Adefila Abidoye, in his view called on the government to ensure judicious use of the N500 billion palliative recently
approved by the National Assembly.
The prophet, however, described the amount as inadequate to assuage the
hardships presently confronting Nigerians as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.
Prophet Abidoye stated this on the sideline of the annual Convention and Retreat of the Evangelical Council held at Galilee Land,
International Headquarters of the Church, Orile Igbon, Oyo State.
He said the money would not be enough to cater for the over 100 million people believed to be living in poverty.
The spiritual father, who explained that the economic situation is seriously biting the people, called for a holistic approach to the trend to make life easier for Nigerians.
He also described the payment of N8,000 monthly over six months to twelve
million households as grossly inadequate given the high cost of living.
Abidoye, therefore, urged President Tinubu to take immediate action to stem the rising food prices and ensure sustainable food security in the country, saying; “if food is available for man, poverty would be
reduced drastically.”
The spiritual father admonished various state governments to follow suit with their people-oriented palliative programs for the effects to be felt across the country, especially at the grassroots.
He applauded some state governments that have taken concrete steps to reduce school fees, increase the minimum wage for their workers, and provide free bus rides among others.
Abidoye called on state governors that have not rolled out their palliative programs to do so to reduce poverty across the nation.
Mr Adebowale Ajayi, who spoke on “Cesspool of corruption”, said only
Government officials feast from it, adding; “We have no good record to identify the poor and the jobless. Waste of resources. Never worked in any country”
Another cleric, Rev Felix Ajide advised the Federal Government not to be involved in distributing money to the indigents.
Ajide, who is the Senior Pastor of King Jesus Praise Land Assembly, Ilorin, added that government should rather invest such money earmarked for palliatives on salary and pension increases.
“Government can also subsidize transportation, healthcare, and other
essential services, and provide railway transportation at a cheaper rate. Buses could be purchased with the fund to be managed by members of road unions.
“This will, in essence, provide more jobs and means of livelihood for thousands of Nigerians. Staff buses should be provided for workers at a subsidized rate to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.
“How do you determine the millions of poor people that will benefit from such a fund without the fund ending in the private pockets of a few privileged officials?
“Money should also be made available to small-scale businesses at a very low-interest rate or interest-free through cooperative
societies,” Ajide said.
A retired journalist, Mr Yemisi Olagoke, in his reaction, said; “The N8,000 palliative to 12 million vulnerable households for six months may not achieve the needed objective of giving succour to the people as
a result of the removal of subsidies on petroleum products.
“How many days will the N8,000 sustain a family of four under this hyperinflation on all consumables?
“Borrowing money from IMF to pay palliative, to me is very wrong because we will service the loan and later pay the principal.
“Why can’t the government use the money accrued from the removal to pay the palliative? Borrowing money to pay for palliative will be counter-productive.
“There are so many things federal and state governments can do to cushion the effect of the removal of subsidies.
“The money borrowed can be used to buy buses and distribute them to all the 36 states and FCT to ease transportation, it will also create employment.
“Also, the government can subsidize electricity consumption for six months by paying DISCOS N1,000 for every metered household. Government should also strive to force down the prices of food items in the market,” he added.
Mr Paul Charles, a trader said he preferred to be neutral when it comes to issues like borrowing to pay palliatives, which I believe
amounted to deceit on the part of the government.
“During Buhari’s deceitful tenure, he applied this practice to enrich his Fulani brethren through his ministers from the Northern part of the country at the expense of the Southern part of the country.
“Who are they deceiving? How do you identify the 12 million Nigerians?
What measure are they using to identify them?
“Fela, in his famous hits of yesteryears, referred to this wicked stealing by government magic which can never be traced as “original stealing period.” Nigerians are no fools, but wiser in ideas and planning. I regard it as abracadabra, government magic,” he said.
Mr Abdulrazaq Adebayo was of the view that the palliative should have come before the final implementation of the fuel subsidy removal, as the cost of living of an average Nigerian now is unpalatable and
provocative.
“We never thought the situation could become so unbearable with the sudden astronomical rise in the prices of goods and services following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian government under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
A journalist, Mr Dare Akogun, in his opinion, advised the government
to make concerted efforts to ensure that everyone is captured.
Akogun was of the view that palliative was needed but not how it is intended, adding that palliative should not be by handing out
stipends, but by investment in public infrastructure, and provision of basic services at affordable rates.
Mr Olayemi James, a public communication professional, described the move as a good initiative, adding; “I only hope it would be administered transparently.
“There is a need for fairness and justice in implementing such a programme. In Nigeria, there is a high level of trust deficit between the government and the governed.
“That is the reason why the citizens find it difficult to key into such initiatives. An example is the Social Investment Scheme of the immediate past administration, many could not testify to its impacts on the focused citizens.”
Pastor Ajibola John Taiwo of FIRE4FIRE ministry said he did not have any confidence in the working of any palliatives.
“In my own opinion, I don’t believe in any palliative, we are in Nigeria, and the money they want to use for palliative should be used to subsidize the fuel.
“As Nigerians, we have not grown to survive with this present economic situation, the palliative they are talking about will stand as a means to enrich some people, whereas some people will benefit, some will not, personally it’s not what we need presently.
“They should return the subsidy and help us repair the refineries, there’s hardship in the land, the president should help look for a quick intervention to solve this, the issue is not about any palliative, we need a better solution,” he declared.
Another respondent, Mr Odunayo Olaniyi expressed scepticism about the viability and workability of palliative.
“I am very sceptical. Do you think they will distribute it fairly? They will only use it to favour their people, their party faithful. If this is supposed to be done, it would have been okay, but that doesn’t happen in Nigeria.”
Mr Daniel Adimoha said; “it s abysmal if what is in circulation is anything to go by, then we are really in trouble as a nation.”
Another cleric, Pastor Azemhe Azena said; “it is a 2023 model of corruption. The subsidiary model of corruption is old, and it had been removed from the fuel, and N500 billion is another way of collecting the same money.
“My questions are these; what method will they use to know the poor in society? How do you get the money across to them safely? How much can N8,000 buy in today’s market? Etc. It’s fraud and corruption on the high side.”
Mr Adebayo James thought that the nature of the palliative the federal government is talking about is very unrealistic.
“I don’t understand how the government would come up with this kind of palliative option. We said we are targeting the vulnerable.
“What are the statistics of the so-called vulnerable in Nigeria that will be given the N8,000 naira in six months and what is the value of N8,000 compared to what the vulnerable and even everybody is facing now?
“It is a very unrealistic and very poor leadership option. It is a product of poor leadership style. No reasonable government should come up with this type of option and say you want to give palliative that will be targeting N8,000 monthly.
“What is the value of N8,000 now? What can it buy? What can anybody do with N8,000 given what is on the table now? “For me, one should have expected them to look for means of fixing the infrastructures, give us a timeline, and let’s see how they can even start working on it as soon as possible so that Nigerians can have something to look up to. I see the palliative as a way of giving some people means to also steal government money.
Mr Dada Bamise, Broadcaster, in his reaction, said he did not know how the
Tinubu-led administration arrived at the calculation of N8,000 for each household.
“How do they arrive at the figure of 12 million vulnerable households, we are more than 12 million poor households in Nigeria. So how they want to do that, I do not understand.
“An average family spends more than N10,000 daily. So if you are saying N8,000 for each household for six months, I don’t understand how that will work.
“Even in the rural areas, N8,000 is not enough for a family of five that is a father, mother, and three children.
I don’t know how they will reach every household. These are my take on this. They could have found a better way that all of us can benefit from,” he said.
Mr Adeleye Samuel Olalekan Businessman said the palliative was very a very good initiative from the Federal Government, but expressed doubt if the palliative will get to the target audience, which is poor and vulnerable.
“I recall during the special work program organized by former President Buhari’s administration when the special work program for the unemployed youths, was N20,000 for three months.
“The program was hijacked by our greedy politicians and the target audience was not captured, instead they enriched themselves with the fund and the aim of the program was defeated.
“Apart from that, the program is okay for me, there are some market women that hawk goods for less than N2,000, these are the people that need the money.
“How will government identify them? These are the big questions to ask, but I was made to understand that the past administration had a cash register for poor people; I believe they may use the cash register. The program is laudable if it will get to the targetted people,” he said.
A student, Miss Ayomide Ojo described the president’s decision as good but added that the federal government can do better.
Mr Joseph Olayemi Businessman said; “it is a welcome development as the money will go a long way for the vulnerable
Mr Oriowo Adeniran said the federal government was not fair in announcing N8,000 as palliatives for 12 million vulnerable households as such an amount cannot assuage their sufferings occasioned by the subsidy removal.
“What I think concerning the N8,000 palliatives for the masses is
that the federal government is not fair in giving just the amount that will not last some people more than a day and which will not even go round to all that are affected with the fuel subsidy removal,” he said.
Miss Oyeniyi Paulet described palliative as ridiculous, saying
that the money should have been used to repair the refineries to bring the price of fuel down.
Mr Segun Daniels was of the view that palliative would always be a
scam because the execution will be faulty.
“It is better they use the money to do something that will alleviate the sufferings caused by the subsidy removal.
“Gas or electric powered vehicles distributed for public transportation is one of the ideas that can bring down transportation fares. Free conversion of public transporters’ vehicles to gas is also
workable,” Daniel said.
Mr Femi Daniel condemned the idea of sharing money borrowed from about
12 million households, saying that it is not an ideal way of distributing palliative because it will be abused as a result of
insincerity and lack of transparency.
“Government should use the money to subsidize frequently consumed foods or rather, channel the palliative to the rehabilitation of infrastructures that can ameliorate the sufferings the masses are
going through,” he added.
Miss Yetunde Olugbenga was also of the opinion that borrowing money
to share with people would not affect the poverty rate.
“The cost of commodities is too high; transport fare has increased by
at least 50 per cent. With all the hikes, the government has failed to increase the minimum wage,” she said.
Mr Busayo David Businessman said the decision of President Tinubu to give
palliative of N8,000 to 12 million vulnerable households was a good
development if it’s managed accordingly.
“In less than one month, the government has made provision for the
students’ loan and I wish other state governors will follow suit,” he
said.
A housewife, Mrs Romoke Abubakar was of the view that the money should
be channelled into a palliative that will be beneficial to the generality of the public so that the money won’t end up in the hands of a few selfish people.
Mr Femi Tunde declared that sharing palliatives in the country was
another strategy to embezzle money.
“It is only people with a short memory that will not remember what
happened to the last palliative they purportedly shared by the last government.
“This palliative is just another strategy of embezzling money.
Everybody knows that the palliative will not reach the grassroots, only the bigwigs of the party will benefit from it,” he added.
Mr Columbus Inuwanu publisher said he did not like the idea of giving stipends
to the people, and added that palliative is okay, provided it will get to those who deserve it.
“l don’t like the idea of giving stipends, what happens thereafter?
Besides, the previous N5,000 conditional cash transfer to rural dwellers, none benefited from my area,” he said.
In his opinion, Mr Ifeoluwa Adeola Businessman said the idea of giving
palliatives to the poor people is a poorly thought out one; adding;
“The news making waves of the federal government’s plan to give out N8,000 naira stipend is not an intelligent one.
“The amount won’t make a difference and it’s not only meagre, but it makes no sense because nearly 80 per cent of the population is badly affected.
“Getting this little amount into everyone’s account is going to be difficult if not impossible.
“The priority of the government should be shifted into ensuring a steady supply of electricity. The majority of homes and businesses run on generators. A stable power supply will be the best palliative,” he said.
Mr Femi Gabriel said; “Nigeria should just take it in good faith, it’s better than nothing. Instead of protesting against it, we should mount pressure on the federal government to repair all our refineries so that we can produce the petrol we consume locally, so pump prices can reduce.”
A public affairs analyst, Mr Musa Aliu said that the palliative is a major setback for the Tinubu administration.
“With his decision to remove fuel subsidy, the administration is expected to sustain means of cushioning the effect of such removal.
“₦8,000 for 12 million households has taken Nigeria to another low ebb. N8,000 can only lead to more poverty in Nigeria. We want to see how fuel subsidy removal can create vibrancy in the economy with more
millionaires produced by not hang-on on mere pitiable ₦8, 000,” he added.
Mr Linus Imodiboh, in his reaction, said the idea of giving palliative was not a good one to embrace by the Tinubu-led government.
“Reason being that if you, as a citizen of this country take a critical look at the living standard of most citizens today, you will agree with me that N8,000 as palliative for 12 million households out of over 200 million Nigerians monthly is a joke.
“This money can be better utilized through specific investments in the nation’s economy that will create jobs for the citizenry. Any other option is a no to me,” he said.
Mr Alfred Jones described the idea as a broad-day robbery, saying that
the money is for politicians to steal.
Edited by Felix Ajide
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