Economic challenges: Osun opinion leaders lament government’s lack of solutions

Opinion leaders in Osun State have spoken up against the current economic challenges being experienced daily by Nigerians across all walks of life.

This is as they lamented the government and leadership failure to proffer solutions in order to alleviate the suffering of the average Nigerian.

They also lamented that there seemed to be no hope that the Nigerian economy would get back on its feet.

They made this known while baring their minds to DAILY POST on Sunday in Osogbo.

DAILY POST recalls that the organized civil societies have on two occasions called for a general protest against the current economic hardship in Osun State, with the latest being the one held on Thursday, February 22, 2024.

During the protest, Waheed Lawal, the chairman of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC), called on President Bola Tinubu to look beyond giving millions of naira as palliatives to governors to address their hungry subjects.

He advised President Tinubu to find a lasting solution to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

However, speaking with DAILY POST, Lawal said Osun State, like the rest of Nigeria, faced an unparalleled economic crisis marked by a plummeting naira and soaring living costs.

He said, “Official statistics by NBS reveal a staggering 35.41% food inflation rate, though the true figure likely surpasses 50 per cent.

“The drastic depreciation of the naira emerges as a primary cause, eroding citizens’ purchasing power and disrupting businesses. The escalating cost of living, exacerbated by the removal of the fuel subsidy, places an unbearable burden on households, pushing many into poverty.

“Families grapple with difficult choices, sacrificing essential needs to cope with rising prices, resulting in increased poverty levels. The food inflation crisis, with severe implications for food security, adds to the societal challenges.”

He called for urgent measures to be taken, among which include “subsidizing transportation costs and implementing drastic cuts in governance expenses.

“The administration must prioritize restoring confidence in the economy, attracting foreign investment, and creating jobs to address the pressing issues faced by Osun State residents. In the face of adversity, the call is for pragmatic solutions that alleviate the economic burden and pave the way for a resilient and prosperous future.”

Lawal insisted that what Nigerians deserve now is the best.

“They promised us renewed hope, but what they are giving us now is renewed hardship. We reject renewed hardship in our lives and in our economy because Nigerians deserve the best.”

Waheed Saka, the Convener of Dialogue 360, described the current economic hardship as unprecedented.

He attributed the development to the harsh economic policy of fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu in May 2023.

“The economic hardship on Nigerians, most importantly the Osun people, is unprecedented because of the harsh economic policy of removal of fuel subsidy by President Tinubu, which led to astronomical increases in prices of food and consumables.

“It is sad that rather than ameliorating the effect based on the money given to the state from subsidy removal, governors across the federation chose to use the money for construction with little or no effect on livelihood.

“With reference to Osun, even the governor believes, without any consultation with the people or any economic empirical evidence, that construction will, in the longer-term ameliorate poverty and reset their livelihood.

“It is sad that our people are at the unfortunate receiving end of the lack of accountability of the tiers of government. I pray and hope they won’t push our people to the precipice because a hungry man is an angry man.”

Saka wanted the government to embark on genuine investment in agriculture for the long term, as only an abundance of food can save the Nigerian economy from total collapse.

Emmanuel Olowu, the Osun Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), on his part, accused the federal and state governments of lacking care about the people’s welfare.

According to him, “The information made available to the public by the Federal Government stating that 30 billion has been allocated to every state in Nigeria as a result of fuel subsidy removal as of February 2024 is an indication that political leaders in Nigeria from the federal, state, and local governments are callous individuals who care less about the people’s welfare.

He equally condemned the decision of the state governors to keep silent over the huge amount they have collected.

“It should also be noted that last week a video surfaced over the spoiled federal government grains that the Osun State government hoarded but commenced its distribution after the federal government’s declaration over what the state has earned in the last few months.

“It should be noted that the Osun State government has expressed laxity towards the welfare of the people because it fails to address the challenges of the provision of food, even though the Osun state economy is based mainly on agriculture and its major crops include yams, cassava, corn (maize), beans, millet, plantains, cacao, palm oil and kernels, and fruits.

He also accused the Ademola Adeleke administration in Osun State of not embarking on any full agricultural project that is geared towards food production.

“Conclusively, Osun is not left out of the challenges and economic hardship the administration of Bola Tinubu is melting on the Nigerian people, which I think the only alternative is that the citizens should keep mobilizing and organizing themselves towards a mass action to stop these hardships and end bad governance in Nigeria.”