By Mohammed Taoheed
Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), the former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), has stated that the Nigerian government is broke which cannot make it fund palliatives effectively.
The popular lawyer said this in a recent interview while responding to questions on palliative the government introduced following the removal of petrol subsidy.
According to him, “The real issue with palliative is that the government is broke. The government cannot fund palliatives effectively. I will rather prefer they use institutional and policy measures. I applaud the removal of VAT on the importation of diesel, but I will recommend that the government look at free school fees and medicals for all Nigerian students at all levels for two years.
“That will be more effective than palliatives of N10,000–N20,000. I will go for institutional mechanisms that reduce burden.
“That is quantitativeism. So you look for a pocket of reforms that, if introduced, will have a national effect on income and outcomes. People won’t have to pay school fees and medical bills; they will feel the impact at once.
“You will see that that is the most effective palliative. But when you are targeting a palliative of N7,000 to N20,000, how would you determine whether people get it or not? So, I am more for institution palliatives, which will be far more expensive than money palliatives,” he said.
