By Tonye Clinton Jaja
Jesus Christ is regarded as one of the greatest teachers that ever lived.
He often used parables and metaphors to drive home the point.
At Matthew 7:5 he said:
“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye”.
In this parable, Jesus used two metaphors, “plank” and “speck”. A hypocrite who has a plank (a big log of wood) inside his eyes cannot see clearly and therefore, the hypocrite’s attempt to remove the speck (a minute/very small piece of wood) in the eyes of another person will fail.
This appears to be the case playing out.
Every time, the federal government is quick to point out how the masses needs to tighten their belts, how they need to endure certain “temporary” economic deprivations as necessary sacrifices for a better economic future. This is the story and rationale for the removal of fuel subsidy and other harsh economic measures.
However, at no time, do we hear of any similar “belly-tightening” measures on the part of the ruling class and the upper echelons of the civil and public service.
Today, they have come up with another “cost-cutting and economic boosting” measure for the masses namely stop the consumption of “Pomo” to save the Nigerian economy ₦23,000,000,000 (twenty-three billion naira).
Whereas more than twice that amount can be saved and recouped into the Nigerian economy if they agree to lower the rates of estacodes and Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) alone.
For the avoidance of doubts, below is the federal government’s report:
“The federal government today cautioned that the consumption of hides and skin, known in local parlance as Pomo, deprives the nation of much-needed jobs.
Speaking at the resumed ministerial briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Abuja, Minister of Livestock Development, Mukhtar Maiha, affirmed that hides and skin have a value of ₦23 billion and can create 700,000 jobs, reports Nigerian Tribune.”
The foregoing is a form of fallacy of painting an incomplete picture and thereby preventing the reader from arriving at a logically correct conclusion.
It paints the picture that this alleged sector can provide 700,000 jobs and over ₦23bn for the Nigerian economy.
What about the billions of naira that can be saved and re-invested in the Nigerian economy, if we all agree to reduce the number of foreign and local trips by government officials?
For the avoidance of any doubts, let the figures speak for themselves:
“The 2025 Appropriation Bill, detailed by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, allocates a substantial N9.36 billion for local and international travels, as well as refreshments for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.”
“The Office of the President has proposed a budget of N4,760,035,960 for vehicles. This includes N3,661,566,123 allocated for the purchase of operational vehicles for the State House and N1 billion designated for replacing Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
Additionally, N1,728,214 has been budgeted for the purchase of cars, with N864,107 set aside for procuring SUVs for the President and Vice President. Another N864,107 is earmarked for acquiring operational vehicles for the Presidential Conference Car Unit (CCU) fleet.
The overall budget proposal includes N5,938,883,548 for various items, including honorariums, construction of an office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, and fuel for generators.
Specifically, N2,118,521,128 is allocated for sitting allowances and honorariums, N1,989,579,359 for fuel, and N1,830,783,061 for constructing the office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants.”
Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja,
Executive Director,
Nigerian Law Society (NLS).
