By Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Majority of Nigerians were happy that a new government was taking over from the ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29 this year(2023) even though it was not a good term with the outcome of the election that produced the new leader President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
They never expect an economic situation worsen that of Buhari’s regime no matter how but the Tinubu’s first decision shortly after his inauguration as the 16th Nigerian leader shocked majority of Nigerians
The fuel Subsidies removal has become a game changer to the Nigerian economy ,as inflation reached an unexpected level ,transportation pair skyrocketed to the extent that civil servants can not afford to go to their working places as the country’s minimum wage is less than fifty dollar.In places like Abuja,Lagos,Port Harcourt ,Kano and other major cities workers are finding it difficult to survive.President pronouncement of paying extra 35 thousand Naira to to all Federal Civil Servants across the board.
The question is ,what of the State and Local governments staff,private sector workers and at high points the masses like Small business operators that are going to the same markets with the Federal Civil Servants.
So, is a known fact to all Nigerians the Federal government had announced palliative of different Kind and channeled it through States Government, but yet the Nigerians are not feeling the impacts as some States were reported sharing a 25 Kg. of rice for 40 to 50 people.
The issue of providing subsidies transportation services through the provision of Natural gas Powered Vehicles is yet to take effect
Why, the common Nigerians are to make the sacrifice,while the leaders are living in luxury ?
This question is at the leaps of Millions of Nigerians particularly at this critical moment that getting basic needs is beyond the access of both middle and the lower class.
President Tinubu on several occasions urged Nigerians to bear the pains,as the decisions he made that put the country into the present economic situation is the only way out.
But Nigerians are aware of the huge amount he spent to attend different International meetings such as the United Nations General Assembly in the USA and the number of entourage he traveled with.
And the amount earmarked for the purchase of Presidential Yacht in the recently passed Supplementary budget ,even though the National Assembly swapped the 50 billion Naira for that purpose to the Students loan segment making the loan fund to 10 billion Naira which they said to avoid public resistance.
Seventy two Million dollars(72 000,000 USD) Spent in purchasing SUV’s for the National Assembly Members
This is another indication that ,the members of the legislative arm who suppose to checkmate the affairs of the executives are not on the same page with those that elected them from 109 Senatorial districts and 360 Federal House of representative constituencies
57.6 billion Naira equivalent to 72,000,000 dollars were used in providing latest Toyota SUV’s 2023 brand to the 109 Nigerian Senators and Prado brands to the 360 members of the House of representatives
This kind of expenditure at this time has been described by many Nigerians as a waste of resources that can be used in uplifting the lives of many.
More Nigerians are in a terrible economic situation,they can not afford School fees for their wards at basic and tertiary levels,while their direct representatives are living this kind of life without minding the fate of the electorates.
Dr Oby Ezekwesili is the former Nigerian Minister of Education and human rights activist .She said Africa Must change how its leaders emerge for Meaningful Progress.
The former Minister stressed that for Nigeria to change its leadership deficit, come out of the present situation and begin to get things right, there must be a concerted effort to change the way leaders emerge on the continent.
She said presently, Africa has a low-cost leadership, and if nothing changes, the next crop of leaders, legislators will still demand to buy SUVs in the midst of hardship and deprivation that many Nigerians are going through.
Ezekwesili who was speaking at the matriculation ceremony of the 2024 session of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, SPPG, in Abuja recently noted that the prevailing political culture in Africa and Nigeria is one that subordinates the common good of all to narrow interest by a few.
Ezekwesili stated that it was because of the prevailing situation and she wanted to find a solution to the quality of politics, leadership and economic performance that she established the School of Politics, Policy and Governance.
“To correct these, we need to design a new pipeline that would contest against this monopoly political class that has a dominant culture.
You can cry as loud as you can, the next National Assembly, if filled with the same existing pipeline of political players, lawmakers will still buy new sets of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV).
The next set of executives even at the state and local government levels will carry on with the same, nothing will change.” She said,
Nigeria need a new order on how things should be done
Mrs.Alero Avida-Otobo is the Executive Officer of SPPG. She said Nigeria needs a new order of how things should be done, adding that the last twelve or so years and what Nigerians have been through shows that things need to change for the better.
“If you misbehave when you graduate and you do not live up to our values, to what we hold dear, what we hold important, we will withdraw our certificate, we will disown you, you will be removed from the alumni class”, she warned.
If such high Institutions of learning are providing the needed training to their students in both character and learning the leaders that are the products of these High schools will be patriotic in like what the country is experiencing now.
How ever as the Common Nigerians are carrying the Burden of the economic hardship while the leaders are always enjoying no matter the situation,this is contradictory to the principle of democracy and good leadership which President President Tinubu claims to be a proponent at all the times
Like what the former Minister of education Dr.Oby Ezekwesili said, Nigerian present and the next set legislatures will continue to purchase SUV’s if the attitude of electorates remain the same of voting incompetent people to represent them.
She even extended the situation to must of African Countries ,so that means Africans particularly youths must be on the track as far as they want to have a better future.
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