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2022 budget: Timi Frank urges Nigerians to prepare for worst times

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3 years ago

October 10, 2021

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The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, Comrade Timi Frank, at the weekend told Nigerians to prepare for worst times ahead the implementation of the 2022 budget of President Muhammadu Buhari, presented to the National Assembly last Thursday.

Timi Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement expressed fear that the “2022 Budget of Economic Growth and Sustainability” laid before a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday by President Buhari has little or no hope of better governance for Nigerians.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, chided President Buhari for again deceiving Nigerians with a budget he knows will bring more hardship to the people than succour.

Frank noted that since the purchasing power of the average Nigerian has been inexorably eroded by rising cost of goods and services coupled with expected increases in the pump price of petrol, electricity tariffs and introduction of new taxes, the people must of necessity tighten their belts to survive the coming economic tsunami.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, protested that the plan of President Buhari to seek further amendments to the Finance Act 2020, is meant to impose additional financial burden on Nigerians. He decried that annual budget performance has remained below 30 per cent since Buhari took over in 2015.

Frank declared: “In the history of Nigeria, no President or head of state has lied to Nigerians like Buhari.

“For instance, Buhari stated that his regime is targeting N17.70 trillion as total federally-collectible revenue for 2022. Yet, he plans to finance the 2022 Budget Deficit of N6.26 trillion through borrowing, thereby, pushing up the nation’s debt.

“This is because they are budgets of lies and no one can implement a lie.

“This invariably means, among others, that some present taxes will either be reviewed upwards or new ones introduced.”

Frank noted that relying on the law effect from January 1, 2021, Value Added Tax (VAT) was increased from 5% to 7.5%, decrying that already impoverished Nigerians are being charged N50 levy on every electronic money transfer deposited in any bank or financial institution, on any account, on the sum of N10,000 and above. He argued that this levy is in addition to other charges like Short Message Service (SMS), Account Maintenance, etc., which Nigerians are compelled to pay by the commercial banks.

Frank protested that the planned reintroduction of tollgates on Federal Highways is a new way to further plunder the downtrodden Nigerian citizens by President Buhari. He lamented that when the tollgates collection becomes operational, the Federal Government intends to compel motorists to pay N200, N500, and N1,000, respectively, depending on the type of vehicle.

Frank declared: “It is grievous that Buhari did not tell Nigerians that as he was speaking to his Halleluya and Amen Boys in the highly comprised Ninth National Assembly and fixing the 2022 official exchange rate at of N410.15k to $1 last Thursday (same day) the Naira traded at N570 to the dollar at the unofficial (parallel) market.

“The Naira also exchanged at N410.81 per dollar at the Investors and Exporters (I&E) forex window, thereby, putting a lie to Buhari’s proposal of N410.15.50 to a dollar officially.”

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East decried that the National Assembly had hurriedly approved the passage of the PIA, in the interest of Buhari and not for the benefit of Nigerians. Frank remarked that Buhari was appointed the Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources and the Nigerian oil industry in the administration of former Head of State, Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, in 1976 and has since then remained inseparable with the oil industry.

“The rubber stamp National Assembly hurriedly passed the Petroleum Industry Act, not because they love Nigeria but because Buhari and his cronies want to perpetually be in charge of the incorporated entities.

“When Olusegun Obasanjo became a military Head of State in 1976, Buhari, then a Colonel, was appointed the Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources.

“In 1977, when the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was created, Buhari was appointed as its chairman, a position he held until 1978.

“Buhari served as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), a body created by the regime of late General Sani Abacha. He has doubled as the President, Commander-In-Chief, and Minister of Petroleum Resources since 2015.

“I dare say that with the ongoing incorporation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, in line with provisions in the PIA, the petroleum industry in Nigeria will continue to be in the firm grips of Buhari, post 2023, through his proxies and cronies who have concluded plans to mop up the initial share capital of N200 billion of the company soon to be put up for sale to Nigerians.

“The purchase and control of Nigerian power assets by both present and former political office holders is telling in this direction,” Frank declared.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East also said that Nigerians are terribly disappointed in some opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly who joined APC lawmakers to clap for Buhari during the live telecast of the budget presentation session.

“Instead of them to make Buhari understand that they were only there because duty demands that they be there, they were apparently carried away.

“One wonders if they cannot borrow a leaf from the way opposition lawmakers in other climes react whenever the President told a lie or says anything that is doubtful or inaccurate during presentations,” Frank said.