THIS FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL

NIGERIANS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN SERVED A NOTORIOUS NOTICE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT  OF AN IMPENDING AND DANGEROUS WITHDRAWAL OF THE SUBSIDY ON PETROLEUM PRODUCTS WHICH IMPLY THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE 2012 FISCAL YEAR THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL WILL SKYROCKET BEYOND THE AFFORDABILITY OF A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF NIGERIANS. GOVERNMENT ALLEGED THAT THE SUBSIDY IT HAS BEEN PAYING USUALLY ENDS UP IN THE HANDS OF MEMBERS OF A POWERFUL CARTEL AND THAT IT NOW WANTS TO WITHDRAW THE SUBSIDY AND REDIRECT IT TO THE BUILDING OF SOME BASIC INFRASTRUCTURES FOR THE BENEFITS OF NIGERIANS. THE QUESTIONS THAT BEG FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM GOVERNMENT ARE; [1] ASSUMING WITHOUT CONCEDING THAT GOVERNMENT'S CLAIM IS RIGHT, HOW COME THAT GOVERNMENT WAS FUNNELING PUBLIC FUNDS TO SOME ALLEGED CRIME SYNDICATE WHO IT HAS IDENTIFIED AS A CARTEL IN THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY? [2] IF IT IS TRUE THEN THAT GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS PAID THE FUEL SUBSIDY TO THESE CRIMINALS AS ALLEGED WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE POOR NIGERIANS TO EVER ENJOY THE SUBSIDY, IT THEREFORE FOLLOWS THAT SOME PERSONS IN GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO BE INVESTIGATED, ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED FOR ALLEGEDLY FUNNELING THESE MONSTROUS AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS RUNNING INTO BILLIONS OF NAIRA INTO THE HANDS OF THE CARTEL, THIS PERSONS MUST BE MADE TO COUGH OUT THE MONEY ALREADY PAID AND GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE ADMITTED FAILURE IF IT FAILS TO ENFORCE LAW AND ORDER BY ARRESTING MEMBERS OF THIS CARTEL THAT HAVE CORNERED THE FUEL SUBSIDY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. [3] WHY HAS GOVERNMENT FAILED TO CARRY OUT EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT TURN AROUND MAINTENANCE OF THE FOUR NEAR-MORIBUND CRUDE OIL REFINERIES IN NIGERIA AND WHERE ARE THE BILLIONS OF NAIRA RELEASED OVER THE LAST DECADE FOR THE T.A.M.? THIS REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY IS PROBLEMATIC AND WILL CRIPPLE THE ECONOMY OF MOST POOR NIGERIANS IF CARE IS NOT TAKEN.