On 1st January 2012, Nigerian masses were thrown into fuel subsidy removal brouhaha. Reasons upon reasons were given by government and its agencies to support the decision. There were accusations and counter accusations, in support and against the fuel subsidy removal. According to government, some importers are fraudulent and were feeding fat on the subsidy regime policy that they never lived up to specification. Some filled tankers and barges with water in place of refined fuel to collect money earmarked for fuel subsidy. Some did not even do any supply but went straight to the office concerned to sign voucher for collection of money they never worked for. It was a barbaric practice in this modern civilization. In the heat of the fuel subsidy removal and the attendant hardship and commotion it brought on Nigerians, the federal government quickly announced palliative measures to cushion the effects. But of a truth up till now the buses promised are not yet seen in the six states capitals.
Nigerians were convinced to believe that those who enriched themselves and impoverished the general public would be probed and prosecuted according to the laws of the land. That alone pacified Nigerians who were angry hoping that the government will deal with those who scuttled the subsidy policy. In the midst of the crisis, some schools of thought said that fuel subsidy did not exist in the country. Well, at the end, there was faint belief that it existed, But those who made nonsense of the subsidy regime are still walking tall in the country without regret for the abomination done to innocent Nigerians. Nonetheless, to please Nigerians who were in anguish as a result of the stunning revelations of the fuel subsidy regime, a committee was set up to probe or ascertain what went wrong with the policy.
The probe committee headed by Hon. Farouk Lawan swung into action immediately some months ago. The committee’s report was submitted to the Presidency and the National Assembly. As Nigerians were waiting to see the action or decision of the government against those who made a mess of the fuel subsidy policy, Nigerians woke up to a baleful drama acted by the presumed accused. Significantly, attention has been diverted from the malpractice and those who caused Nigerians to suffer in the early weeks of 2012. In the Nigerian law, I was told that the giver of bribe is also culprit in the crime committed. Some Nigerians died and many suffered untold hardships and within a twinkle of an eye the memory of the fuel subsidy removal trauma has been forgotten! Those business moguls who truncated the subsidy regime are still smiling with their ill-gotten wealth while Nigerians are pushed out to suffer fare hikes, increase in pump price and worse still, new regimes occasioned by intermittent fuel scarcity.
Indeed, this bribery against the fuel subsidy probe committee should be handled with common sense. If government indeed is sincere, those companies that defrauded Nigerians through fuel subsidy must be punished according to the law. There is the need to first of all look at the report of the committee before nailing the chairman, Hon. Farouk Lawan. The said six hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($620. 000.00), is not more than the huge trillions already stolen.. It is time for the Nigerian government to ignore certain tricks meant to orchestrate diversion. Probes do work in other parts of the world, but in Nigeria, each time there is probe, those indicted create a scene to undermine the report. This has been the usual practice each time a probe committee is set up to check high magnitude of fraud or crime committed in the country. Somebody would go out with impunity to scuttle the probe report and many Nigerians would clap hands for such treacherous and devilish act against truth. One wonders where this spirit of parasitism of our leaders is coming from? This bribery allegation is a bad omen to the probe. Today, the Nigerian Police Authority is after Hon. Farouk Lawan, the alleged receiver of the bribe. The giver of the bribe who is now smiling that his written script is soaring higher in the school of public opinion should also be quizzed, because the probe was for economic reasons.
These are issues Nigerians do not need to pay attention to. We are talking of people who cheated the government and made the teeming populace to suffer in the midst of plenty. What is happening in this country? Is it that we celebrate corruption? Is it true that good things do not work in Nigeria? Somebody help us. The atmosphere is charged, just like saying hunt the hunter, if possible kill him. We have forgotten those who defrauded the government of money made from black gold. It will be incredible in this democratic era for the report of fuel subsidy regime to be swept into the dust bin.
It has become a regular and perfect practice that each time there is a probe those facing it would use bribe to destroy the efforts and expectations of Nigerians. But I do not think it holds water this time that my amiable president, Dr. Goodluck is at the helm of affairs. If I may quote him right, his transformation agenda is to sweep the system free of corruption. Should the report of the probe committee be made a laughing stock, then there may be more sharp practices in Nigeria. What happened to the power probe where sixteen billion dollars for power project were unjustifiably embezzled by those who felt they are untouchable by Nigerian government? The probe turned against the chairman of the committee, Hon. Ndidi Elumelu and others. They were arrested immediately the bribery allegation was leveled against them. But those who paid the bribe and kept Nigeria in darkness till date did not even face interrogation for one second. What is amiss in Nigeria? All this inhuman and anti economic behaviour will continue to stall development in the country.
Thus, the embezzlers of the power project money remain protected while the committee members accused of receiving bribe were cajoled without human dignity. Indeed, Hon. Farouk Lawan has been stripped off of all his positions in the House of Representatives. He was not in the plenary session of the House because he was detained by the police. The fuel subsidy removal no doubt has caused increase in price of commodities in the country and Nigerians are waiting to see the justification and benefits of the removal on their livelyhood.
In America, a one-time business mogul who defrauded the government some billions of dollars was sentenced to 150 years imprisonment? Can that happen here? If it is here he will be given six months imprisonment. True Nigerians are not happy the way mischievous people are allowed to harm the innocent citizens. This subsidy probe report can not be like the others where defaulters were celebrated.
The President promised Nigerians through his spokesman that no matter the bribery allegation against the committee that the probe report must be implemented. That statement alone has placed Nigerians on another vigil as they wait and watch the true implementation. It is time for the Nigerian government to bring defaulters to book. Enough of probes without implementation in Nigeria. In some countries those who defrauded were asked to refund whatever they have taken illegally from government coffers. The insincerity observed some years back in the aspect of probe panel should not be allowed to come on board again. Government should implement the probe report without much delay.
So many probe panels have been set up without results at the long-run. Does it mean that those who bribe panel members to scuttle probe reports are given protection by the government to do such nefarious acts? The House of Representatives is not like hide and seek game played by children in those days. Therefore, the Federal government of Nigeria must as a matter of urgency implement the report of the probe panel. About a decade ago the Federal government under the leadership of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo constituted a panel known as Oputa Panel. Money was spent without reasonable result, to the chagrin of the Nigerian populace.
Has bribery become the Achilles heel of every probe panel in Nigeria every time? It is even criminal to bribe some body with $620,000 dollars in Nigeria. Today Nigerians are looking at the exchange rate in naira and have forgotten the crime. Some body is embarrassing Nigerians with impunity. Even if the bribe is received by somebody both should face the music not just the receiver. Why, because the giver was one of the persons that made the government to remove fuel subsidy that caused untold hardship and unprecedented protest in the history of Nigeria. Nigerians want to see the implementation of the probe panel report, period.
Frank Eneawail Ogwuonuonu
08028901682
