The inflation of local based commodities in Nigeria is overwhelming. For the first one year of the Buhari led administration, Nigeria has witness the rise in price of commodities, whether local or international from 10% to 70% respectively. A record high for the past 12 years.
We’re faced with economy saga where the country’s ranking has dropped from top spot in Africa and even globally with countries the world never expected overtaking us. Recently there was a hike in dollar price from 160/180 to 200/450/350 naira. Now, we’re faced with fuel issues where petrol was sold at 250/500 naira for official and black market price respectively. It’s was then re-regulated and currently thrilling at 145/180 naira. So how does it relates to the topic?
Here we go. As we all know, goods/commodities in Nigeria and the world depends on transportation for it to circulate from the producer to the consumer. And this process is carried out using automobile machines like cars, trains, ships, planes, etc. This automobiles on the other way round depends on fuel which is categorized into petrol, diesel, gasoline, etc for them to function properly and at a consumers expecting rate.
This to say for an ordinary farmer to transfer his/her products to the market, he needs the fuel whether directly or indirectly. And if the fuel price is high, how’s the farmer going to fair? This will in turn make the farmer to increase the price of his goods.
What about the workers who lived on a salary based scale. How will they cope? For we all know that the minimum wage is 18,000 naira. So, if you spend at least 500 naira for transportation within the day to go to work (i.e if you trek a distance), a total of 10,000 naira a month. Will the remaining 8,000 naira buy you and your household food, pay your children’s fees, pay your rent, pay your electricity/water bills, buy you clothes and other miscellaneous things? My dear Nigerians think well, you got to steal to be a able to fix somethings.
Now for the ordinary business man who runs his petrol generator to chill his water, drinks, or produce some minor things to sell to make sure he copes with his business and family. What is he going to do now? He should pee inside his petrol generator? Please think well if you’re a Nigerian.
Oh wait! You’re looking at yourself as a Senator, house of rep, Governor, or President child where non of this is affecting you! Or you’re looking at yourself as a Governor, Chairman, NNPC boss and the likes? May be, just may be, but if the Labour strike, the people dies, I’ll see who will work for you to steal from, or who will farm for you to use your looted money to buy from or who will Labour for you to live large. Today may be good for you, but for tomorrow, it might be a metaphor. So think about others and not your selfish interest alone.
Am going to stop here. I know I have touch many but few as long as the lives of a Nigerian is concerned. So, to whom it may concern, let’s do the right thing at the right time to salvage ourselves from this crisis now that’s never too late. Let’s support Labour so the price of petrol will be slashed down to the normal rate Nigerians can afford. Like the 86 naira or less.
Thanks for reading, I am Frankie Ifop. You can follow me on:
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