Abba Dukawa
The year 2023 was one of the hardest years Nigerians have ever undergone after the ugly experience of civil war.
After 8 years of past immediate administration, and clueless policies, Nigerians never wished the next administration to follow the former regime’s paths but hoped to have the best economic team that would come up with policies that would help the country attain its economic ambition.
Not inhuman policies that will turn many Nigerians into paupers overnight. Life became miserable for the larger population of Nigerians.
It is clear to all and sundry that Nigeria is presently at the edge of the precipice in terms of the economic, security, food security, social, political, and ethnic religious predicament.
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Without any iota of doubt, the administration took over a bankrupt economy when it came in. But then the newest administration added salt to injuries to the recent country’s hardship.
Against the backdrop of the hardship, Mr. President’s inaugural speeches have significantly contributed to the present situation with his single paragraph about the fuel subsidy being gone.
A few days later, the administration also announced the unification of the dual exchange rate of the Naira, which the administration inherited.
Again, the Naira that was exchanged at N700 to a dollar then is now above N1,200. Unification has not been achieved as the Naira each passing day gets weaker. Unification on the black market.
These policies have overnight turned many Nigerians into paupers. Feeding is now a Herculean task for many families. Nigerians are now picking food from the garbage. Now, poor families are deliberately sending their children into modern-day slavery all in a bid to survive hard times. Some are turned to domestic help, while others are lured into prostitution both at home and in foreign lands.
The World Bank said that over 133 million Nigerians are suffering from what it called multidimensional poverty. The nation has never had it so bad!
Those who are working are finding it difficult to cope due to the high cost of most essentials. Worse, millions are unemployed. Prices of foodstuffs and other household essentials are always on the increase on an hourly basis.
This evil decision of putting the cart before the horse, as no policy alternative could deaden the pain it inflicts on the masses are tired of, with the usual rhetoric of the country’s rulers “I feel your pain; we need to make sacrifices by enduring the pain”, among others. But Nigerians have had enough of this rhetoric, to last them a lifetime.
Though the past seven months were a very challenging one, it was the hardest year for Nigerians in so many ways. Life became miserable for the larger population of Nigerians.
Even though he admitted the suffering of poor citizens, the administration seems like it’s not done what is required to alleviate the suffering.
Nigerians want renewed hope administration to investigate alleged treasury looting by President Muhammadu Buhari administration official. The MDAs are bogged down in the mire of graft. Treasury looting is also going on unabated and the alleged perpetrators are walking freely. Only a former CBN governor is before the court. President Tinubu should recover money looted from the CBN and one looted from the Humanitarian ministry and specifically use it to fund the budget.
Dukawa is a public affairs commentator on print and online media.
