President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigerians do not appreciate what they have, which compared to neighboring countries where their citizens eat one meal a day, is much better.
The president said this while speaking during a project inauguration in Kano on Monday, amid growing outcry by Nigerians over economic hardship that his administration has been blamed for inflicting on the country.
‘‘We have a great country but we do not appreciate it until we visit our neighbours and other countries where the preoccupation is for people to have one good meal a day,” Buhari said.
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“When I fly by helicopter, the number of high-rise buildings I see and the amount of development on the ground are fantastic. We thank God. We thank God. We thank God.”
Buhari’s statement, which was shared by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, comes after the former Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Oyo State and Convener of All Workers Convergence (AWC), Andrew Emelieze, accused the present government of debasing the country with its policies and programmes.
Emelieze said that in a statement on Sunday, decrying the current state of livelihood in Nigeria. The labor leader said it is obvious that protest is inevitable in Nigeria now, because the last seven years of Buhari has been suffocating Nigerians.
Citing the current issues of fuel and naira scarcity, he said that Nigerians have become overly disappointed in Buhari and are regretting while they voted him to power. He said issues of insecurity and poverty have made people completely lose hope that Buhari’s administration will do something good.
“Our people have been choking under Buhari. Everybody is fed up, frustrated and totally disappointed in Buhari, such that the feelings of our people is that this government is cursed that it cannot do anything good. The major fear now is, can a government that has failed in all ramifications conduct successful general elections?
“It is the general view of Nigerians that Buhari has disappointed the masses. The country has been moving from one confusion to another, as if Buhari is an author of confusion.
“Our people are dying in cold blood for lack of national security. Many more are dying of poverty and in some cases suicide has been a way to escape the torture in Nigeria. Mental and the general health of Nigerians are badly affected and most of the deaths in Nigeria are as a result of social pressure. Lots more of our people are abandoned on the streets homeless and destitute, dying unnoticed by the Nigerian state, and their death unrecorded,” he said.
Touting the protest as a way of forcing the government to the peoples’ suffering, Emelieze urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and TUC to rise up and confront the administration over issues such as fuel and naira scarcity.
“Nigerians are left with no other option but mass protest until the government stops the mass sufferings of the Nigerian people. Nigerians, rise up now and protest against naira and fuel scarcity as well as the prevailing high cost of living. Say no to fuel price hike. Say no to electricity tariff hike. Say no to the high cost of living. Say no to killings everywhere.
“We are all feeling the pain, do not wait for anyone to mobilise you; organise from wherever you are. From Monday, January 30, 2023, let us swoop on the streets and refuse to be intimidated. This protest is a moral responsibility of everyone to rescue Nigeria. The AWC supports all calls by Nigerians and the civil society movement to begin nationwide protest immediately everywhere in Nigeria,” he added.
Buhari’s administration has continued to give itself a pass mark even as Nigerians keep groaning under the weight of economic hardship. It is not clear if the labor unions will heed the call for protest, which will have adverse effect on the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) during the forthcoming election.