The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, advising Nigerians to stop ‘shouting’ over economic hardship is unfortunate.
Development Diaries reports that Akume has advised Nigerians to remain calm in the face of economic hardship following the removal of fuel subsidy as announced by President Bola Tinubu on 29 May, 2023.
Millions of Nigerians are suffering under the effects of Tinubu’s stifling policies.
How would the SGF feel if someone held his neck tightly without letting go? He would be gasping, of course. That is exactly how the masses are feeling.
We can all recall how in February this year, angry youths and women took to the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, and Kano to protest the rising cost of living in the country.
In addition, there were similar protests in Ondo State in the southwestern part of the country, where protesters were calling on the Tinubu administration to address the challenge of hunger in the land.
The nation is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, leading to widespread hardship and anger. Nothing much has changed in one year of the administration except that the hunger crisis is increasing.
The increase in the price of petrol has caused other prices to rise as businesses pass on transportation and energy costs to the consumer. The promise of CNG-powered transportation still seems like a fairytale wish.
Also, Nigeria’s currency, the naira, has continued to struggle, and the government has failed to address it. The prices of basic food commodities such as rice, beans, maize, plantain, and tomatoes have continued to surge over the months with no hope of coming down.
Insecurity remains a challenge in the country, as this is also a factor that has contributed to the increase in food prices.
Undoubtedly, the current state of the economy, the degree of poverty, the removal of fuel subsidies, and the nation’s skyrocketing food inflation pose challenges to the survival of the average Nigerian.
Section 14 of the Nigerian constitution declares that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. But the government is failing in its primary responsibility, and the SGF wants Nigerians to keep quiet? Haba!
Nigerians will stop shouting when they can, indeed, breathe!
Development Diaries calls on President Tinubu to urgently respond to the shout of Nigerians by coming up with policies that would affect the lives of the masses positively because until then, the masses will keep ‘shouting’.
Photo source: Senator George Akume
