Say, many people on the streets are walking corpses
Nigerians from different strata of life have warned President Bola Tinubu that he would face the threat of implosion by angry citizens should the Federal Government go ahead with the World Banks advice to sustain the prevailing stinging reforms for the next 10 to 15 years.
Recall that last Tuesday, the World Bank Senior Vice-president, Indermit Gill, declared in Abuja at the Nigeria Economic Summit, among others, that it would take at least 10 or 15 years for President Bola Tinubus economic reforms to transform the economy and advised the Federal Government not to waive but continue with the reforms in the said years ahead.
This advice from the World Bank official has however provoked many Nigerians, who are grappling with hunger and pains occasioned by government policies, and therefore rejected it. They urged President Tinubu to ignore the World Banks advise, saying there was experiential evidence worldwide, including Nigeria, that the financial institution was not delivering the sustained economic growth, prosperity, and better standards of life it promised with its package.
ActionAid Nigeria, (AAN), in a reaction by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, said: The recent statement made by the World Bank official urging the Nigerian government to sustain its current economic reforms for the next 10-15 years with no clear plans on how it will cater for the people is misguided and insulting to the millions of Nigerians, who are living through unprecedented economic hardship”.
However, Convener of the South-South Reawakening Group, Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, who differed in his view, said: We should support the reforms and allow them to take their full course, which should be a one-off pain. The fact that the oil wealth has benefited a tiny majority of Nigerians is no news, but the question is how do we turn the narrative around for the good of the people.
According to him, “This is where the problem lies, because mismanagement and misapplication of resources have become rife. The oil wealth is held down by a few with the majority sulking with very little or nothing, therefore, we must strive to ensure that violators of the management of our common patrimony are punished. This is the only way we can have some respite.
On his part, former CAN Chairman of Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said, Many visiting World Bank chiefs love making anti-people statements whenever they come to Nigeria. Nigerians have not quickly forgotten the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) of the Babangida era, which also came from advice from some international monetary organisations that pushed the country into a poor economic state. These world bodies always advise our leaders to introduce policies that will not yield any positive results.
“The World Bank and other international groups cannot give leaders of European countries and the USA any economic advice that will make their citizens suffer, because they know every responsible government puts its citizens first in every decision and action. Some of their statements do not show respect for our citizens; instead, they are taking our patience for granted and misleading our leaders. I will therefore advise President Tinubu to know that he is the President of many hungry Nigerians and he should find an urgent solution to the acute hunger and poverty in the land. Any economic policy or international advice that will not address hunger, poverty and lift up the standard of living of the common men and women should be discarded.
According to him, “The World Bank and all other international monetary agencies should only advise our Government on how to reduce poverty and the gap between the rich and the poor. They must not help to increase the hardship our citizens are facing already which may push the citizens to revolt.
Also, spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Suleiman Abdul-Aziz, said, I think while the World Banks advice to sustain the Tinubu reforms may have merit, it is essential to ensure that these reforms benefit all Nigerians and address the current hardships faced by the population. The government must prioritise the welfare of the people and implement policies that promote inclusive growth and development. Nigerians should not have to bear the burden of economic reforms alone; it is the responsibility of the government and international institutions to ensure that the benefits of these reforms are felt by all.
Similarly, former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony NZ. Sani, said: Though I know that socio-economic development, which reduces ignorance, poverty and unemployment are not matters of a days job, I do not have any alternative course of action beside to suggest that Nigerians have to produce what they need and want, especially when regard is paid to the dwindling fortune of oil as our main source of revenue. Both the volume of oil we produce and the prices which enable Nigerians to consume without production are going down”.
“Instead of using savings from the withdrawal of subsidies for palliatives which do not go around 10% of the population, it is more productive and helpful to use it for improvement of productivity, he further stated.
