Petrol at£4 a litre?
on Emily Bullock (Nigeria), 11/Jan/2012 15:33, 34 days ago
I left Nigeria less than two months ago and am still very aware of contrasts between Britain and Nigeria, so I know that in Britain overnight, the night being 31st December 2011, train fares increased by 10%, I also know that petrol in Nigeria went up from 65 Naria to around 145 Naria, around 28p up to around 60p.This is because the government removed the subsidy, but what does this mean to the average Nigerian? When I was in Nigeria my bus fare to work was NGN30 (about 12p), sometimes depending on the mood of the conductor, the weather, the demand for transport it would be NGN40, I just paid without arguing my salary being around NGN1000 daily. Many people didn't get on the bus, they chose to wait for another vehicle or walk, I'd like to know what the bus fare is now.Petrol in Nigeria doesn't just provide transport of course, it provides electricity, I monitored our electricity at work for one month, 3% of the time it came from the mains, the rest of the time from one of two generators, one fuelled by diesel and one by petrol. Many homes and businesses rely on a small petrol generator for electricity.Nigeria is the sixth largest oil nation in the world, with the 37th biggest economy, and the 121st poorest people, I think the subsidy is seen as the only thing Nigerians get from their government. Read my earlier post about thisJesus Wept.I get frustrated that Nigerian's don't protest more and hold their government and religious leaders to account, there again I am not Nigerian, and don't have recent memories of military rule, or current realities of a very hierarchical society.I have heard it said that Nigeria politicians are the richest in the world, (perhaps that's why its worth cheating) here are some facts? shamelessly stolen from an internet blog, and re-posted all over the internet including hereNigeria1. The American President has only 2 aircraft, our president has 9 in his fleet and voted money recently to buy 1 more!2. The British prime Minister has only 2 official cars, our president has 23 in his pool and only recently voted 300m naira to buy 2 more bullet/bomb proof ones!3. Senators in the US earn about $6,000 dollars monthly and that's about what a university professor, or a director in a state department, or a doctor with 20years experience, or a teacher with 25years experience earn too.In Nigeria a senator earns 245million Naira per annum! Representing the salaries of 25 vice chancellors, or 50 medical doctors, or 60 directors, or 500 school teachers!4. The US, almost the size of Africa with about 500million people have 24 ministers, and 32 govt parastatals and commissions. Nigeria has 42 cabinet ministers, and over 50 government parastatals!5. America with about 500million people and more mileage to drive consumes 39 million litres of petrol daily, Nigeria with 150 million people 60% out of which live in remote areas, yet our government tells us we consume about 35million liters of petroldaily!