REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY, BLESSING OR CURSE?

In an attempt to canvass the conscience of NIGERIANS in other to buy their votes for the APRIL 2010 general elections, the government suddenly announced the increase in minimum wage of workers from N7, 500 to N18, 000, a brilliant step employed to win the mandate of the masses. The conscious and intellectual citizens of the country doubted the sincerity of the government of the day to increase minimum wage without a counter effect on the citizenry and quickly sensed that they will soon come out with a counter announcement that will drain the pockets of the masses of the extra coins that the increase in wage has added to their

account.

I have come to realize, that what is called increase in wages in Nigeria is just a simple awareness for the preparation for an increase in the pump price petroleum products. Unfortunately, this time, it is taking a different dimension. This time, increase in wages is a tactical awareness for the preparation for the removal of fuel subsidy.

I tried to imagine and look into the future of the economy and socio-political system of the country, to see if I can really figure out what the system is going to look like after the removal of fuel subsidy taking into consideration the devastating effects of the previous increase in pump prices. If that is really to be gone by, then the future is in danger.

However, the President and others behind the removal of fuel subsidy have told us, that the removal is in the best interest of the masses.

Therefore my questions are, If truly the removal is in the best interest of the masses but now the masses are saying no, why can`t the government forget about it and talk about something else? What then is Democracy when government do not listen to the yawning of the people? Why can`t we build new refineries and refine this product ourselves?

Now that the government is pushing so hard to see that this removal is achieved in the coming year, what then should Nigerians expect from the removal of fuel subsidy? Blessing or Curse?