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By Kareem Islamiyat
Umma Getso, vibrant and courageous political activist and former Vice presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the 2019 presidential election in this interview, speaks on the danger of using military option against the Niger coupists, president Bola Tinubu’s cabinet and subsidy removal among other national issues.
How will you react to the issue of subsidy removal by president Bola Tinubu, given the attendant hardship in the country?
It has been established that fuel subsidy is not something we can continue with as it is not in our best interest or perhaps in the best interest of the majority of Nigerians. With our current economic situation, Nigeria cannot afford paying the subsidy, especially when the common man is not benefitting from it. The sole beneficiaries are still the rich, so it is more of enriching the richest. If you can recall also the last two presidential candidates that emerged from the election, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, both also promised to remove subsidy, including many other presidential candidates. It was part of their action plan, part of their manifestoes to remove subsidy. Look even before this government of president Tinubu came into office, the previous government had already removed fuel subsidy; what the government did was to do the announcement and then look for way forward on how to cushion the subsidy effect. There is this argument on whether it was properly done with all palliative in place. For me that is why you have a government to solve problems that arise in the line of duty. In other countries also, there is one problem or the other which may be different from ours, so it is left for the government to provide solutions to them. There will always be one problem or the other for any government to tackle and since we have identified the problem with our fuel industry, what is needed is to find the best way to tackle rather than complaining and killing ourselves over it. The most important thing is that having identified the problem, the next thing is to find the best approach in tackling it. You know that in Nigeria, there is always one loophole or the other, and our people always have their ways of getting away from things. In other countries, there is always a subsidy of one thing or the other, it mustn’t be fuel.
Some weeks ago, I heard the government saying that they will distribute N8,000 to the most vulnerable households but thank God he (Tinubu) has a listening ear and he stopped such a move. It would have been another waste route because that is not the way to go by giving people money. You can never account for such money because you don’t have accurate register or data for it. I give the president kudos for having the listening ear not to distribute cash but let there be subsidy on something that will help to cushion effect, that will directly benefit the common man. I think before the organised Labour embarked on warning strike, he mentioned subsidy on buses, transportation, so we hope to see more things like that. We hope to see things that will positively touch the health sector, education, etc. It is the way to go. I do not think that we solve problems through blame game and unproductive criticism. We need to criticize constructively, pushing out good alternatives rather than outright condemnation of anything that the government does. Part of our problem in this country is that most times we refuse to see the good sides of things coming out from what we are passing through; we simply keep complaining and keep shouting. If you look at our neighboring countries for instance, we are richer than them, they are even buying fuel at a higher cost than us and they are not complaining about it. As Nigerians, we have a lot to appreciate for this country but we are always applying mischief. Things that are not working, for instance, we always want to make it a topic of discussion everyday instead of us looking for ways to be more productive and add value to what the government is doing. I am not speaking to protect this government, don’t get me wrong but while we still put the government on its toes, we need to rise up as a people and do more, rather than lamentation; even with all that God has endowed us with, lamentation has been our singsong and this is not helping us.
But the thinking here is that, perhaps, the salary in Nigeria, the minimum wage is poor when compared to some of our neighboring countries like say Ghana for instance?
I know but I think the president has said something about the minimum wage and I know that some state governments have started increment in their state salary. I read from the news also that states will be receiving I think N5 billion from the Federal Government as part of palliatives too. So the searchlight must also go to the states and to our local governments for accountability. But if you even look at the population of Nigeria, let me start from my own state (Kano). What is the percentage of the people that are working for the government or earning from the government, whether state or federal? The percentage is minute, it’s quite small. Nigerians are very enterprising people and we are always like the best in most things that we are doing. You can see that with the increment in the fuel price, with what I have seen in some parts of the North, people are already taking advantage of it, developing alternatives, how to use or install the gas alternative and how to cut down or reduce fuel consumption. That is the most amazing thing, we are very innovative, always finding solution to our problem. We should stop looking at everything from the negative angle as some challenges are simply opportunity for further discoveries. We should stop seeing those in government as super human, or as if they are above mistake, no, they are not. All that we need as citizens is to engage them constructively, ensure they are accountable using all democratic process rather than trying to pull the entire country down in our attempt to point out an error. We need to always consider our approach because we have no other country but this (Nigeria).
What is your take on the ECOWAS position to use military strength on Niger coup plotters?
No, not advisable. Do we really know how many states that share border with Niger? There is no sense in trying to solve a problem and you end up creating a larger and avoidable one. Look, I am from the North, the relationship between Niger and us is beyond neighbours. If you go to my state today, and most of the Northern states, you cannot differentiate somebody from Niger republic and somebody, a Nigerian from the North. I don’t think a country like Nigeria, the acclaimed giant of Africa should be involved in any war with any country now, considering the fire that is burning in our own house at the moment. Look at the issues of Boko Haram, bandits everywhere, kidnappings, armed robbery escalation, ritualists, separatist fighters etc… Look at our economy…where is the money to prosecute such war? And you know the place of Nigeria in ECOWAS? Of course, Nigeria will be the major funder of such war…Do we have the money? We already have an existing problem we have not been able to tackle, that we are trying to manage, so what do you think will be the fate of Nigerians when you now compound issues with war? It is not going to be a good story to tell, it is going to be a disaster for our country. It will be heavy on us economically, and in every other sense of loss. Culturally, religiously, ethically, ancestrally, socially, name it, we have affinity with Niger, why destroy the bond when you can avoid such temptation? I humbly advise the president (Tinubu) to resist anything that will make Nigeria go to war with Niger. Nigeria and Niger are like one country. There are some villages you will go to today in some parts of the North, like in Daura for instance, you may not differentiate where you are, whether in Nigeria or Niger. Nigeria cannot afford to fight this war of enmity rather we should follow diplomatic way to resolve issues. The way African countries are going about certain things today calls for caution. Our leaders must come to a drawing board, sit at a round table and discuss issues in the best interest of the continent, provide good governance or else it may not be easy for them again. You can see that the youth are rising from their long sleep to challenge the status quo. The youth in the military are rising up too. Look at the military leaders that are now rising up, they are very young people and that is instructive. You can see the massive support from the youth population in those African countries that the military has taken over. If our leaders do not decide to do things right, we may experience more wildfire in change of governments and that will not be good. African leaders should please sit up and give the people good governance.
Speak on the appointment of more women in the ministerial slot
I think it’s a good one from Mr. President and I commend him for that. It was part of his campaign promise and he is keeping to it. I am proud of him for what he has done but like Oliver Twist, we want him to bring more women on board. We have a lot of capable hands, women who you can trust that can do the job, even better. I still believe he will bring something different in the country.
If you meet with president Bola Tinubu, what will be your advice to him?
As a leader, he has to be careful of aides and advisers. Let him be wary of those that come to advise him based on their personal interest. Those that will care for your success are not always so many, so he has to be very careful and watchful. He is experienced enough to know who should advise him and who should not. I really want him to make his appointments based on capacity. People should be appointed on merit based on what they can offer the nation. I will advise him to up action on security. Some of the roads linking Abuja to some states, confidence is being restored because people have started plying some roads that were abandoned that they avoided using in the last 8 to 10 years due to activities of bandits. Let’s hope for good because we should not hope for the bad, let’s hope that we go to zero level in tackling insecurity. Let’s hope that it is a battle we will collectively win. Another priority area the president must give attention is on economy. He must stop at nothing to ensure economic stability. Other areas of attention that must not be compromised are education, health, infrastructural provision among others. I wish him the best as he faces the challenges ahead.
Looking at the appointments he has made so far, are you satisfied and do you think they can take this country to the next level in development?
I am satisfied so far. Of course, some people from some states maybe those recommended to him, so it is also left to those people to prove themselves that they are capable.
