GROUPS of protesters, comprising nine different organisations, have accused the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration of implementing anti-poor policies supported by the International Monetary Fund(IMF) which has impoverished Nigerians more.
The groups, which comprised a coalition of youths, civil societies, and socialists on the planned ‘EndBadGovernanceinNigeriaprotest’ made their position known in a communique issued on Wednesday, July 31.
They insist that despite intimidation by the current administration, the protest will go on as scheduled on August 1, while it accused the Nigerian authorities of neglecting issues that led to the protest.
The organisations in the group are the Joint Action Front(JAF), PRP Vanguard, Yoruba Revolutionary Movement(YOREM), Amilcar Cabral Ideological School Movement(ACIS-M), Youth Rights Campaign(YRC), Movement for African Emancipation(MAE), Education Rights Campaign(ERC), Precision, Electrical, and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association(PRERESSA) and Campaign for Democratic Workers Rights(CDWR).
“Since May 29 last year when President Tinubu announced without any democratic consultation debate with the Nigerian people, his ill-thought, wicked and anti-poor International Monetary Fund (IMF)-inspired policy of fuel subsidy removal, our lives as we know have been transformed for the worse.
“Inflation has gone sky-high and with it prices of food, energy, medicine, and other essentials,” the communique said.
The group also criticised the government for devaluing the national currency twice, stressing that it has crashed the value of income and living standards.
Commenting further on the negative downturn being expressed by Nigerians on the economy, the communique estimated that over 26 million Nigerians are at risk of starvation this year.
The group also registered disapproval of how the government is implementing palliative distributions, accusing it of targeting political proxies.
“So-called palliatives have not gone to the real needy as they have been hijacked by ruling party politicians. Also, support for rural farmers has ended up in the hands of political farmers,” it stated further.
The group also accused the government of not making the necessary sacrifices, despite effecting policies that have inflicted pain on the people.
“In the midst of all these and while we are being told to tighten our belt, official corruption has turned to a pastime as President Tinubu, the first family, lawmakers, and the government officials continue to feed fat on our treasury by buying themselves luxurious jets, yacht, bulletproof vehicles and renovating residences and offices.
The group insists that despite the threat and intimidation, it supports the #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protest will take place in Lagos states and every other part of the country.
Notably, the key policies of the Bola Tinubu-administration which focused on the total removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS) and floating of the naira have been considered largely as an IMF-inspired policy.
Tinubu had, immediately after replacing his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, eliminated the fuel subsidy regime, a decision that instantly triggered a 200 per cent increase in the pump price of petrol, a strategic commodity that influences pricing and cost in other sectors of the economy.
The administration also floated the naira which led to currency problems and uncontrollable prices of commodities in the market alongside volatile exchange rat
The ICIR has reported that the country’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the July inflation figures, reporting that headline inflation rose to 34.19 per cent in June from 33.95 per cent in May.
Food inflation, the major driver of the pressure, increased to 40.80 per cent in June from 40.33 per cent in May. This development has seen Nigerians go through the edge to feed, a situation that is worrisome with 133 million people in different categories of poverty.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.