Friday, 21 October 2011

When the fuel subsidy is gone


BY EMMANUEL OGALA
The “average Nigerian” make up to 90 per cent of the nation’s population; and with a combined effect of Naira devaluation, the average Nigerian is in for a harsh hard time
Tony is a system administrator and lives in New Site, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Lugbe, a suburb along the Airport Road, Abuja. He is single and works in an IT firm in Maitama, Abuja.
He woke this morning feeling great. He grabbed his skipping ropes and 15 minutes later, he was sweating profusely. There is no urban water supply in the area so he buys his daily supply from a Mè Ruwa - water vendor - for N1 per litre. This morning, he paid N2 per litre. The Mé Ruwa said the operator of the servicing bore hole has doubled the price of water because he runs the bore hole with a generator.
Tony’s estate is about 6 km away from the Airport Road. From his house to the bus stop at FHA junction – along the airport road - was N100 on okada, but today, okadas charge N200. Before now, it costs him N50 on a coaster buses to get to Eagle Square from the junction. Today, the buses are charging N100 to city centre. The driver also blames fuel price increase.
Tony takes a cab to his office for N200. Today he is paying N450.
At lunch time, Tony strolled to the canteen with a female colleague he is admiring. As they sat, the waiter approached him to warn that food prices have been hiked. “White rice with stew, plantain and beef is now N1100 per plate,” the waiter warned. It used to be N520. They ate anyway.
Back in the office, he organises his male colleagues and they angrily walked up to their boss. “We need a pay rise,” they demanded. “The price of every other thing has gone up!”
“We are all in this together,” replied the boss. “I am even thinking of sacking some of you to cut cost.”

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