Oil sector challenges: opposition’s information propaganda machinery must be neutralised,by Kola Amzat
Left to the key figures in the opposition parties alone, the roof of the house must come down.
In-fact, Nigeria should be in flame by now so that they could have their way, by emerging through the back door to claim ‘electoral victory’ which electorates never gave them at polls during the 2023 presidential elections.
This is the Agenda they’ve been deploying efforts-strategically, tactfully and studiously to accomplish by setting up a well-lubricated political propaganda machinery.
And, of course, they’ve humongous resources to achieve this objective!
The vast federal assets running into hundreds of billions of Naira they mindlessly appropriated and cornered to themselves during the inglorious era of Bureau of Public Enterprises ridiculous disposal of nation heritage and historical monuments across the country and the globe at giveaway prices are still in their fortress!
Billions of domestic and foreign currencies they wickedly looted from oil resources when ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo abdicated his C-in-C responsibility by choosing to be globetrotting during his first term in office, are still seating in their local and foreign accounts!
Of course, stupendous fortunes in several billions of Naira they made with impunity from their inglorious career as a top Custom Officer is still there in various accounts, and also, in form of assets across the globe!
So, who is still doubting their financial capacity and wherewithal to destabilize the country?
With the tremendous resources at their disposal, why shouldn’t they maintain an army of misguided and less-informed social media hoodlums who have been wrongly schooled to continually pass across falsehood, blatant lies and concocted information to the hapless Nigerians?
Let no one be in doubt that, it pays the prominent figures in opposition parties, if the country is returned back to military men.
They lose absolutely nothing, as they would have achieved their sinister motive and objective.
Ours is to guide our loins, by government re-strategizing, re-drawing and re-focusing its Agenda.
This is the point we are.
With the challenge of total falsehood staring us in the face, it’s an auspicious time for federal authority to up-the-ante as far as information management is concerned, by considering reconstituting the information team, and tactically & strategically, re-invent, re-engineer and repackage the information machinery, with a view to combatting and battling to standstill, the propaganda machinery of the opposition groups, through the deployment of idea for idea, men for men, tactics for tactics and strategy for strategy.
This is the only path to take, otherwise, the government would only concede the country to the agents of darkness and enemies of democratic order who have collectively resolved to run Nigeria aground.
There exists no doubt that the entire information team of the government have till date, maintained undignified and dangerous silent, while the opposition run roughshod at government.
Let’s consider this: NNPCL supply crude oil to Dangote Refinery as mandated by the president at a pre-determined rate jointly agreed by the parties.
Dangote Refinery produce and roll out the product to the market.
Is it appropriate for government to grant Dangote Refinery free rein to produce and single-handedly determine and fix the price to sell, without government intervention, when the crude oil itself might have been sold to the refinery at a subsidized rate?
Is it in order to allow Dangote Refinery to suddenly assume the status of an all-important product which the entire country depend on, in all facets-economy, infrastructures, agricultures, manufacturing etc?
This is the bone of contention.
This is the information been manipulated by the opposition propagandist team and mischievously been sold to Nigerians, with the view to inciting the citizenry against the government.
This is the information Nigerians need to make their deduction whether the government is fair enough in its attempt to exercise intervention in the market or not.
And, that’s why generality of Nigerians are at daggers drawn with government, on account of the recent hike in petroleum products with particular reference to PMS.
It’s therefore incumbent on the government information team to have provided sufficient justification to Nigerians why government intervened to prevent Dangote Refinery to be monopolist of the product.
Moving forward, the information team must work assiduously and religiously to ensuring that, no gap in information is left for the opposition propagandists to explore and fill.
Meanwhile, there also exists challenges of surge in PMS prices on account of LANDING COST of the imported petroleum products which is reportedly vary between ₦1200-1211, which the government have no control over, except the country desire to return to the inglorious regime of subsidy, which in itself, is a SCAM.
It’s apparent that most of the misinformation, falsehood, concocted lies and propaganda are on the social media platforms.
It’s also important to note that some of the propagandists’ views are borne out of absolute lack of knowledge of the workings in the oil & gas sector, mischief, recklessness, exuberance and overzealousness,
Finally, while the president is therefore implored to bring in more vibrant, nimble, very efficient, resourceful, and highly informed social media that would work round the clock (24/7), providing and supplying Nigerians with up-to-date information on government policies and programs and benefits, as well as giving justifiable reasons why those policies are formulated in the first place, government must also as a matter of necessity consider REGULATING information being channeled through social media platforms.
To protect the territorial integrity of the country, this STEP must be taken and very swiftly before the social media hoodlums set the country on fire.
Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)
Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,
09077509348.
