Article written by Dr. Perry Brimah of Ends.ng. Read below…
The June 23rd ban on importation of cement and 39 other items contained in a letter by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been received with mixed feelings. The extensive list does contain some necessary bans which will help Nigeria’s small scale industries, the number one employer of labor in the staggering nation, however, not unexpectedly, hidden within the list of banned items are additional skews to secure the stupendous wealth of Nigeria’s known cabal and ensure the continued crippling of the Nigerian masses.
We Are Actually The Largest Employers Of Labor In Nigeria, Not Dangote And Other Cabal
]There is a lie oft told, and as they say, if a lie is told so many times it becomes truthy (that
new lingo dedicated to George Bush in his pursuit of the war against
Iraq). That lies is that Dangote and Atiku are the biggest employers of
labour in Nigeria. It is a colossal lie. Whereas these two cabal employ
under 100,000 Nigerians combined, we are actually the largest employers
of labor… yes, we the ordinary people, the several million SMEs. SME
stands for Small and Medium Enterprises; not the large industry. The
cottage manufacturers and cottage service providers. It is us who employ
over 30 million Nigerians, the real numbers that count, not the ever
protected cabal who employ only a handful of us yet are always
benefactors and influencers of government policies while we are never
invited to the meetings and get no perks.
So while industries like toothpicks, glass wear, textiles, meat
products and others in the ban list, that are the occupation of SMEs is a
useful drive that will actually protect the Naira and drive employment,
the ban of the importation of cement added to the list, an absolute
oligopoly that Nigeria has criminally bestowed on Dangote is a stab in
the hope and future of Nigeria and another gift of the earnings of the
masses to our billionaire, insatiable cabal.
It is a conspiracy to defraud the masses for the government to
protect and enforce the purchase of a singular private, unregulated
oligopoly. The Central Bank is in this June 23rd decree engaging in
conspiracy to defraud Nigeria’s poorest and maintain unbearable hardship
on Nigerian property owners, property hopefuls, renters and property
investors. Indeed every Nigerian is being robbed and punished by this
CBN move.
It must be noted that manufacturing is never by force as there are
various types and other options for economies; indeed manufacturing is
no longer synonymous with development as advanced economies are now
‘service’ based and not industry-based. And industry which leads to
environmental pollution and degradation is only of value if it provides
items at prices within global competitive costs.
Nigeria Gave Dangote Cement Billions To Sell Us Cement At Triple The Global Average
Through the years, Dangote cement has been given numberless
government perks and gifts. The spoiled company has been given gas
power, given duty free import waivers to enable it import needed and
un-needed machinery and equipment, literally running its own private and
unregulated sea port. Dangote as with other cabal, the smallest
employers of Nigeria as earlier mentioned have been given bailouts —
gifts of billions of dollars, an advantage we the largest employers
never benefit from. Dangote cement has been literally dashed Nigeria’s
cement plants. The company has benefited from policies that frustrated
its competitors and importers of cement. And in return, this private
company has decided to cut up billions in quarterly profits to its PDP,
private bank (Zenith etc) and other government parastatal shareholders
via selling cement at thrice the global average, rather than offer
Nigerians cement at a world lowest price to show appreciation for the
billions in concessions we have given it.
When compared for instance, in the UAE, Etisalat is majorly
government owned, so when its oligopoly is enforced this provides wealth
to the State, and wealth that has been used to build world renowned and
recognized infrastructure and provide enviable benefits to its people.
But in the Nigerian case, like the masses are fools, the government
invests in private oligopolies and forces the masses to patronize these
exploitative profiteers to no personal benefit… except hearing the cabal
owners’ names listed in Forbes as the world’s top billionaires who made
money from the sucking dry and murder of the Nigerian masses.
The Dangote Oligopoly Has Crippled Nigerian Construction And Foreign Investment
The Dangote Oligopoly Has Crippled Nigerian Construction And Foreign Investment
Not only have Nigerians been unable to build and repair their homes
because we are forced to buy Dangote cement at twice and thrice the
global average cost, while watching the company divide massive quarterly
dividends; and not only have we been forced to scrounge our cement,
which has led to our homes collapsing and people dying; but also foreign
companies have rejected building in Nigeria and rather opted for South
Africa because of the cost of cement in our dear nation.
So while Godwin’s ban on products that will allow healthy competition
and opportunity for growth of Nigeria’s number 1 employers, us SMEs,
the deliberate inclusion of bans to further deflate the masses and
sure-up the exploitation by the cabal oligopolies is another straw on
this camel’s back. Perhaps the straw that will break its back.
On a final note, one has to ask: who is at these Zenith bank’s
Godwin CBN meetings where he comes up with these policies? Dangote,
Jonathan, Obasanjo and who? Is this how a democracy is run? There is
God.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah; http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something] Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian
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