The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Thursday, said the Federal Government is insensitive to the plights of the mass of the people, with the recent increase it announced in respect of the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and electricity tariffs.
This is just as he strongly appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to reverse the price increase in the interest of the mass of the people of Nigeria.
Iba Adams said this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Aderemi, pointing out that the increase was uncalled for most especially, at a difficult time like this when the whole world is still going through the COVID-19 pandemic, even with the closure of the country’s land borders since last year.
Gani Adams, while describing the decision as unfortunate, warned that the Federal Government was toeing a dangerous path, even as he lamented that the government had failed in its responsibility to the ordinary Nigerians.
According to him, the hardship the unprecedented increase in transportation, and electricity tariffs will, for a long time affect the people of the citizens, declaring that it was not the kind of change Nigerians expected from a government that rode to power with very much hope and expectations.
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“It is unfortunate that the Federal Government has failed in its responsibility to the ordinary Nigerians, the hardship of these unprecedented increase in transportation, and electricity tariffs will, for a long time affect the people of this country.
“This is not the kind of change we expected from a government that rode to power with very much hope and expectations from Nigerians. And, rather than cushioning the effect of this outrageous increase, the federal government decided to look the other way.
“With this sudden increase, the price of every commodity will definitely reach the rooftops and this is uncalled for, particularly, at a time like this when the world is still battling with the COVID-19 impasse,” he said.
Iba Adams, while condemning the hike, further warned that the Federal Government must desist from embarking on policies that were capable of destroying the trust reposed in it by the people as the timing for the sudden increase was wrong, it is ill-timed.
“Electricity is life, I know how much I pay daily as tariffs on electricity, so how do you think an ordinary Nigerian citizen could cope with this sudden increase? he queried.
“It is killing and the federal government must desist from embarking on policies that are capable of destroying the trust reposed in it by the people because the timing for the sudden increase is wrong, it is ill-timed, however, we strongly appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to reverse the price in the interest of the mass of the people,” he said.