By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja
Civil Society Organisations, Tuesday, angrily rose and rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s move for more hike of fuel pump-price.
On Monday, Buhari said there will be more increase in fuel pump-price according to international market forces, and so, Nigerians should brace up for the tough days ahead.
Govt should sacrifice for Nigerians, slowdown borrowing — Adeyanju
The Convener, Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, said, “The electricity and fuel hike is ill-timed. It is not the perfect time to remove the fuel subsidy. I know the President is doing this because they want to borrow money from International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank, and IMF and World Bank, especially Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, they will not give the government the money except the government go on deregulation.
“However, you can be telling people that barely can survive to pay for more because our economy is fuel-dependent, and it is going to affect the prices of goods and services will rise more inflation, and we are still battling with hyper-inflation.
“I believe that the government should listen to the people and consult widely. The government should put in place certain things and be willing to sacrifice before asking the people to sacrifice and cuts it spending by half and slow down borrowing.
READ ALSO: People Talk: On fuel pump price and electricity tariff increase
“There are projects that you can get the private sector involved to fund, we don’t need to go borrowing to build a railway in Damaturu in Yobe State, they are not viable. It is just terrible what is going on.”
Nigerians must rise up to resist this wickedness — Ariyo
The Convener, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, CDNDC, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said, “President Buhari and his family are far-lost in ostentatious living and lifestyle, he has become insensitive to the plight of the common man to the extent that he did not see any reason to reduce the cost of governance before cutting subsidies which is the only benefit accruing to the common man in Nigeria.
“While the President is asking Nigerians to brace up for more increases in fuel price, while he is has increased electricity tariffs, unfortunately, he is not doing anything to eliminate the wanton stealing by his close aides and cronies and while wastage in his government is on the rise.
“He has pretended not to grapple with the pains his administration is inflicting on Nigerians because the people are not yet out on the streets protesting and demanding for his resignation. Buhari is incapable of leadership, he is incapable of governance, he is incapable of solving any problem, he is a clueless and an incompetent leader who has no business coming to govern a nation
“Nigerians must rise up to resist the wickedness of an insensitive and unconscionable administration whose family members, friends, and cronies are consistently pillaging our collective commonwealth.”
No economic justification, rashly insensitive — Friday
The National Coordinator, Grassroots Empowerment and Justice, GEJ, Initiative, John Friay, said, “The whole economics behind these policies geared toward the continuous rise of both petrol and electricity makes no sense. This is robbing the people to cater to the government over blotted spending. There is no economic justification for this whatsoever.
“It is laughable and worrisome at the same time because it clearly shows that the government has lost its basic economic sense.
“At a time when the crude oil price is nose-diving due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its toll on the economy as well as it’s the resultant effect on citizens, there is no basis whatsoever for an increase in the price of fuel or electricity.
“What we all expect at this time are proactive measures that will boost the economy without putting undue pressure on spending by citizens.
“Is the government aware that many are out of jobs? Are they aware the businesses of many have crumbled and that the people all need bailout as well as their businesses like what is happening in Western economies?
“I was thinking the government will cut down spending, block leakages, and marshal out plans that will strengthen and brighten the economy of individual households.
“Nigerians must rise to reject this unnecessary hike in prices of fuel and electricity (electricity that is neither even reliable nor stable).
“The decision of the Federal government under President Buhari in this direction is rashly insensitive and unacceptable.”
Nigerians under unfortunate bad weather, road — Ndu
The Founder and President of Peoples Movement for a New Nigeria, PMNN, Yahaya Ndu, said, “Too many things are wrong with the way we are being governed. Take for instance the inexplicably overwhelming foreign debts that the government has been plunging the nation in.
“What stops the Government to borrow from the Nigerian Diaspora who remits not less than $20 billion back home annually rather than borrowing from China etc?
“We have urged the Minister for Finance to look towards Nigerian Diaspora for loans rather to those who it is clear want to colonize us
“What is to be said on fuel and power tariffs? To start with how much was a litre of PMS under President Jonathan less than half of the current price is that not a shame. We Nigerians abused the government of Dr Good luck Ebele Jonathan including myself.
“I was one of those who said that Nigerians deserve better, and those of us who complained about Jonathan and are keeping quiet today, it is not really that there is not much to say but rather that we are totally dumbfounded.
“The current situation defies understanding and is more than shame in every sector beginning with the most vital is security. Nigerians are being taken for a rough ride on a rough road under rough weather.
“How comes it that the most populous black nation on earth and which in terms of natural resources ranks next to none in the whole world and so richly blessed with intelligent people cannot guarantee something as basic as an uninterrupted power supply?
“The hike in power supply at the period of coronavirus pandemic lockdown is, to say the least, inhuman and callous.”
Criminality, insecurity will rise — Oluga
The Chief Executive Officer, Agrecourse Integrated Service Limited, Ayoola Oluga, said, “It will make life hard for people. Costs are increasing for the average man but their income is not increasing. These will likely cause people to start doing what they should not do normally. Crime will increase because people want to feed their families.
“The government is also making it difficult to do business with all sorts of policies. It will make life hard for people. Costs are increasing for the average man but their income is not increasing. This will likely cause people to start doing what they should not do normally. Crime will increase because people want to feed their families.
“The government is also making it difficult to do business with all sorts of policies. It will make life hard for people. Costs are increasing for the average man but their income is not increasing. This will likely cause people to start doing what they should not do normally. Crime will increase because people want to feed their families. The government is also making it difficult to do business with all sorts of policies.”
It’s the lackadaisical attitude of Buhari towards Nigerians — Uwejeyan
The Comrade Israel Uwejeyan Niger Delta Youth Congress, NDYC, in a statement said, “The Niger Delta Youth Congress vehemently condemn in its totality the recent increase in fuel price and electricity tariff in a time like this when sensitive Governments all over the world are offering palliatives to citizens in light of challenges arising from the coronavirus pandemic which has geometrically increased the rate of unemployment especially in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Fani-Kayode condemns hike in petrol pump price, electricity tarrif
“The insensitive nature of the Buhari-led government is so irritating and infuriating, The President’s recent statement asking Nigerians to brace up for more increase was the maximum height of his foolhardiness, carelessness, disdain and lackadaisical attitude towards the plights of the average Nigerian on whose back he rode to power.
“Enough is enough! We will not continue to sit down and watch our future being jeopardized as a result of the selfishness and incompetence of this administration.
“We are yet to see any tangible action taking by this administration since the revelation of the massive corruption that has been going on in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and other government parastatals, yet the President is asking poor Nigerians to brace up for more hardship.
“We cannot sit down in silence while our roof is on fire, it is time for the haunter to be haunted, it is time for us as youths to rise up and say no this corrupt, insensitive and incompetent government that take foreign loans for the purpose of embezzlements because Nigerians are yet to feel the impacts of the previous foreign loans and yet we’re going for more.
“The time to stand up for our right to life and freedom from intimidation is no other time than now.
“We call on all Niger Deltans and Nigerians within the boundaries of this country and Diaspora to move away from mere complaints to Action.
We say no the insensitive nature of this administration! We say no to bad Government! We must say no to intimidation! We say no to corruption!
“We ask President Muhamadu Buhari to take the honorable part and resign as a result of his incompetence and insensitivity or expect a mass Action from us. #Enough is enough!
Leaders should start to sacrifice to salvage the economy — Hon Adeyemi
The National President, Women In Mining Nigeria, WIMN, Hon Janet Adeyemi, said, “Unfair. Let our leaders make sacrifices in their lifestyle, which taxpayers pay for. Insensitivity, just immediately after COVID-19.”
Buhari does not care about the plight of Nigerians — Obono
Executive Director, TAP Initiative, Martin Obono, said, “It is rather unfortunate that we have a President that does not care about the plight and hardship of the citizens he swore to protect.
“The country is still trying to recover from the blows that COVID dealt our economic wellbeing and the president is hell-bent on increasing fuel and electricity tariff. This is wickedness.”
