Fuel, Forex, Food, Fitness, Freedom & Football: Feelers from Nigerians for 2024
Recounting the harrowing economic,
social and political experiences of 2023, which we all had our share of, is
like rubbing salt to injury. For our mental stability, it’s better to look
forward to a brighter and more prosperous 2024 with enthusiasm. Feelers from my
interactions with friends, co-workers, family members, neighbours and varied
acquaintances have it that among other things, Nigerians wish in 2024, for
strategic and expeditious interventions in key areas of our national life that
would deliver good tidings in the country-wide supply of food, fuel, foreign
exchange, healthcare and security. Not forgetting the continental football
contest coming up later this month, Nigerians look up to President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, GCFR, the 36 State Governors and the Federal Capital Territory Minister
to do all within their powers to usher in positive vibes in the six
afore-mentioned spheres that either directly affect their daily well-being or transiently
offer some mental respite amid the prevailing hardship.
Without over-flogging the dominant place
of energy in fuelling both the daily needs of citizens and
industrialization drive of any nation, the monumental rise in prices of fossil
fuel products (kerosene, petrol, diesel, aviation fuel) throughout the outgone
year was not palatable to most Nigerians. Sharing the news that a section of
the rehabilitated Port-Harcourt refinery had been completed on 20th day of
December, 2023 isn’t enough to cheer. Nigerians want to see that
government-owned refinery alongside those in Warri and Kaduna that have all
been moribund for decades daily dispense refined products into the market this
new year in competition with Dangote’s petrochemical complex in Lagos. By so
doing, the interplay of market forces will hopefully, gradually force down the
current exorbitant prices of petroleum products later in the year. Between this
time and the final transition to green energy sources in line with the global
energy vision, Nigerians deserve to enjoy the benefits of their country’s
oil-rich status even in the face of petrol subsidy removal. Also, the epileptic
power supply that has become symbolic of our country’s narrative over the past
thirty years (or so) needs be halted. We have had too many talks about the
challenges of each of the generation, transmission and distribution components
of the electricity chain. All we are saying, is, give us stable electricity in
2024.
Although one man’s meat is another
man’s poison, the weak exchange rate of the naira in the money market
that favours Nigerians abroad (when sending money home for domestic use) but
disfavours those within the country (during international transactions) is a
recipe for an unhappy 2024. The Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso, and his
team should do more in closing the gap between the official and parallel
markets while Federal, State and Local government authorities get more serious
in their respective purviews regarding creation of an enabling environment for
domestic & foreign private sector players to harness local raw materials
for in-country production across all sectors and subsequent export for foreign
exchange earnings.
When my wife updated my market memory
with the new reality that one kilogram of beef was sold for N3,300 and a
30-unit crate of eggs cost N3,000 in Akure in December 2023, I knew the
devil was not required to prevent many Nigerian children from protein deprivation
should inflation persist in 2024, reducing the purchasing power of many
breadwinners and their families. As her information led to an increase in my
monthly upkeep support for our home, it dawned on me that so long as one
serving spoon of rice at a regular roadside canteen goes for N250,
squeezing an average of N1,000 from an average grown-up to feed to
satisfaction, feeding will remain an urgent & important prayer for
the 133 million Nigerians quoted in the 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty
Index (MPI) report. A long list of negativities abound - aging farmers’
population, poor incentives for younger generation of intending farmers, weak
land administration policies, insecure farmlands, slow transition to mechanized
farming, low percentage of irrigated agricultural spaces for all-year planting,
absence of storage facilities for perishable & non-perishable farm produce,
deficiency of rural access roads, high cost of transport to semi-urban &
urban markets, non-existence of agro-allied industries for value addition
needed for export and so forth. How does a dysfunctional Federation like ours
effectively share responsibilities among the Federal, State and Local
Government Area (LGA) councils in year 2024 to combat these humongous encumbrances
against food security (availability, adequacy, accessibility &
affordability)?
To be fit is to be healthy all year
round. Mental and physical fitness of Nigerians will contribute significantly
to personal and national productivity but the unavailability of qualitative healthcare
services within and outside the regular hospital setting from North to the
South, East and West of this nation is a pointer to doom. How do we curtail the
mass exodus of my colleagues and other health workers to Europe, North America,
Asia and Australia in 2024? How about the ability of Nigerians to afford increasing
costs of health care services and drugs? Can those who can afford a health
insurance plan prioritize same in 2024 while well-meaning individuals &
organizations consider buying for the indigent? Knowing that most hospitals
spend between 60-70% of their revenue on power, can Federal and State
governments be intentional about procurement of solar power for more Primary
Health Care (PHC) facilities and General Hospitals across the country in 2024
to free up more funds for medical equipment and infrastructure upgrade?
Still unrelenting about this new year,
will it be that year when Nigerians felt very secure and had the freedom
to ply inter-state roads without fear of being waylaid by barefaced kidnappers,
daredevil armed robbers, reckless traffic officials, trigger-happy policemen or
brazen militants? Road trips were my favourite past time about ten years ago,
such that self-drive from Akure to either Lagos or Ibadan formed my monthly
routine in pursuit of some extra-clinical economic gains. Fast forward to
recent Nigeria and the numerous evil happenings to known and unknown persons along
our roads, the thought of a journey by road triggers palpitations as well as
mental and spiritual preparations. Shall the Nigeria Police Force, Armed
Forces, State-owned security organizations etc. be more empowered for
intelligence gathering needed to forestall criminal activities (preventive
strategies) rather than wait for them to continue to happen in their hundreds and
we celebrate a “successful” police-led release of 7 out of 10 kidnapped persons
(reactionary strategies)? Shall this year birth a constitutional discourse to
set up State Police?
On a lighter note, the participation
of Nigeria’s senior national team at football competitions has been
adjudged a momentary national unifier and sorrow suppresser for Nigerians,
majority of whom are lovers of the round leather game. The Confederation of
African Football (CAF) is billed to hold her biennial African Nations Cup later
this month of January, 2024 and the Nigeria Super Eagles are expected to put up
an outstanding representation as a worthy football team of Africa’s most
populous country. With a hope to rekindle some past glories, the international
stars and domestic acts that make up the team may have to strive individually
and collectively to put smiles on our faces. They need to overcome the perennial
systemic odds (at the Nigeria Football Federation – NFF) against their fate to
give both the television onlookers back in Nigeria and the fans that will
occupy the spectators’ sheds in the various stadia a great reward for their
support at the 2024 soccer fiesta to be hosted by another Awest African nation
- Cote d’Ivoire. Will 2024 be that year when NFF will pay the dollar dues of
the coaching crew and footballers as and when due and strip Nigeria of the toga
of poor football administration?
With a Renewed Hope promised
by President Boal Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I urge all Nigerians around the world who
are reading this piece to accept my Happy new year wishes on this 1st
day of January, 2024. Like the Yoruba folks say, aseyi samodun o!
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