As Nigerians continue to get frustrated daily by the harsh economic situation, Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs), have expressed sadness over high cost of Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS), diesel, poor power supply, and soaring food prices coupled with the depreciating security situation in the country.
Speaking with newsmen on Monday, the CSOs, including Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, (CISLAC), One Love Foundation, (OLF), and Concerned Nigerians, (CN), said Nigerians are currently at the lowest ebb, as more are being pushed into poverty and misery.
According to the CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, “The socio-economic costs of the electricity and petrol issues in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised.
“The woes of Nigerians have increased daily, as the government continues making apologies and empty promises while paying a worrisomely great deal of attention to their future political interests.
“It is alarming that at this perilous time for Nigerians the government of the day seems to be more worried about their political party conventions, amongst other equally irrelevant concerns.
“It is sad that while there is erratic power supply despite the “failed” privatization process, the only alternative means of individual generation of power, petrol and diesel is not available. The double crisis has greatly affected costs of production, consequently increasing the costs of almost everything at a time when our currency is at its ebb.
“This holds the risk of increasing the poverty rate in a country that is facing grave challenges, including worsening insecurity. The level of productivity of the labour force has reduced as man-hours are lost in endless petrol station queues. Companies, especially MSMEs, which are the engine room of any economy are being crippled by the unimaginable costs of operation.
“Larger businesses are also experiencing forced downtimes considering these operating costs and this threatens many jobs in a country with an already high unemployment rate. With already limited spending power, Nigerian citizens now have to face increased cost prices to afford and access goods and services.
“It is not enough to apologise to Nigerians. As the minister of Petroleum, the President bears full responsibility for the untold hardships Nigerians- citizens and businesses, are currently facing.”
However, CISLAC proffered recommendations as a way out of the fuel crisis, saying, “Firstly, those responsible for the importation of the off-spec fuel must be brought to book and measures must be taken to prevent it in the future through thorough quality audits along the supply-chain.
“The government needs to be more sensitive to the plight of Nigerians and live up to its primary responsibility of safeguarding the welfare of its citizenry, only through sincere demonstrations and actions”.
