Egalitarian Mission for Africa, a Nigeria leading Civil Society Organization has declared an indefinite National Mourning period over the recently announced 145 Naira fuel price hike.
Arising from its emergency meeting held in Garki, Abuja, which ended early Thursday morning, the Executive Director of the Mission, reading the Mission’s communique, said, the Nigerian Federal Government has finally shown its true color as far as the welfare of the Nigerian masses is concerned.
Increasing the fuel price at this critical time in our fiscal history smacks of crass insensitivity and absolute disregard for the wellbeing of our people.
At a time when the gross “take home” of the Nigerian worker does not take him to the bus stop, when the Nigerian lives in total darkness and is compelled to provide electricity for himself and his family with health endangering generators, which he even has to take to the filling station for fuel; Indeed at a time when the Nigerian is expected to be a government unto himself in the provision of basic amenities… security, food, water, shelter, health and even education for his family….,this increase of fuel price is a calamitous news and it is one such news too many.
Stating that the mourning period declared is indefinite till the day the Federal Government chooses or is compelled to reverse the increased price, he further calls on all well meaning, consistent and progressive people, civil society groups and other organizations to rise up and challenge this budding draconian tendencies being exhibited by the current administration.
He also reminds the people that at the time the immediate past administration attempted to tow a similar path, people rose up as one to “Occupy Nigeria”. He opines that this is one of such times and Nigerians must rise as one and refuse to be hoodwinked into penury and extinction.
According to him, EMA believes that the current hike has no basis in any financial and legal justification and as long as the government still purports to fix the price of any product, it means that no subsidy existing on it has been removed.
Calling for the National Mourning period, he stated that there is indeed a lot of reasons for the Nigerian to mourn, chief of which is an incompetent, deceptive and proudly unresponsive government. We are back to 1984/85 “Essenco” era when Nigerians were compelled to queue up for every item including milk and sugar.
This administration has reneged on one and all of its pre-election promises. It has cajoled Nigerians into approving its lackluster and visionless style of governance by the bogus propaganda of the demonization of all past administrations. He stated further that it has got so bad that if any of the members of government commits a personal infraction, Nigerians are expected to forgive him or her as long as he/she is able to state that “the past administration made him do it”!
“Now our chicken has come home to roost. We have enabled a Frankenstein monster to annihilate us!”
It is time, he says, for sober and solemn reflection. Nigerians have boarded a “one chance” bus and it is bent on taking us beyond the precipice.
During this Mourning Period, Nigerians must actively seek God’s face and request for divine intervention to save Nigeria.
This cup must pass us over!
