Popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, on Wednesday addressed protesting workers in Lagos.
He said that the implementation of Neo-Liberal policies by the Federal Government would further impoverish Nigerians.
Falana who joined the protest of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against petrol subsidy removal in Ikeja, noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank cannot help Nigeria.
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The senior lawyer told the government that Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), an ill-fated economic reforms, which failed in Nigeria in the 1980s, cannot be rebranded.
SAP is a set of economic reforms used as preconditions by IMF and World Bank before a country can secure a loan from these institutions.
It was introduced in 1986, under the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Under the program, Nigeria reformed its foreign exchange system, trade policies, and business and agricultural regulations.
“Our mission today (is) simple and straightforward: we’re here to tell the government – the Federal Government through the Lagos State government, that ours is not a poor country; ours is a very rich country, with abundant natural resources and abundant capital development. We’re therefore here, let the government know that there’s no way SAP can be rebranded; there’s no way the IMF and World Bank can help Nigeria. The implementation of Neo-Liberal policies are going to further pauperize the Nigerian people and increase poverty in Nigeria,” he said while addressing the workers and government officials at Lagos House, Alausa.
Lampooning the National Assembly for the N70 billion voted in the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Bill to improve the working conditions of its new members as well as reported plan to spend N40 billion on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, Falana asked the lawmakers to instead use the money to support their constituencies.
“For the people in the National Assembly, it’s unacceptable to vote N70 billion. Please for the facelift of the National Assembly, but it’s a lie, because the National Assembly complex is currently being renovated with N37 billion,” Falana said.
“If you divide N110 billion by 360 Federal Constituencies, N305 million will go to every constituency. We’re, therefore, asking the National Assembly people , if you want to make sacrifice on behalf of the Nigerian people, put that money in an account, so that your constituency can have N305 million per constituency. And we must start with Lagos State.”
According to him, International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria, are owing the country $62 billion, adding that recovering this money would help the government in addressing the economic challenges the country is facing.
“The IOCs are owing Nigeria $62 billion. Therefore, if you collect that money, and I’ve submitted a letter to the government, that we can collect $200 billion. If the Lagos State government is ready to work with us, we can make this money available to the government. And that will be contribution of workers in Lagos State to the ongoing development of the country.”
Falana called on the Federal Government to consolidate the country’s democracy, warning that democracy is under threat in West Africa.
He said: “Democracy is under threat in West Africa. Let us consolidate our own democracy by taking care of the masses. Let the masses breathe.”
Falana averred that $1.5 billion was voted for the Turnaround Maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery, $1.4 billion for the Turnaround Maintenance of the Kaduna and Warri refineries, while $2.7 billion was earmarked for the Dangote Refinery, and asked what has happened to these refineries.