Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, has urged the Federal Government to concentrate attention on policy programmes that can alleviate the suffering of Nigerians at the grassroots, declaring that the country was currently bleeding.
Adams made the call in Ikeja, Lagos, while speaking as a guest at the 2nd Annual Public Lecture of Freedom Online, saying from all Indications, the present situation in the country showed that majority of citizens were suffering, with little or no hope.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo spoke in reaction to issues raised at the forum by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on the state of the Nigerian economy, using his own personal experience to buttress the call.
“My brother, Mr Femi Adesina, has raised some issues on the state of the nation, he is doing his job. However, I want you to tell Mr President that Nigeria is bleeding. From my experience so far, I think President Buhari needs to attend to some critical issues that need urgent attention.
“Let me use my personal experience to buttress my point. I spend over thirteen thousand naira (N13,000) daily on diesel to fuel my generating set, and that is the situation across the country,” he said, contending that it was an indication that the power sector was not working currently in the country.
“That shows the power sector is not working,” Iba Adams affirmed.
Speaking further, the Aare Ona Kakanfo said the President Muhammadu Buhari- led Federal Government needed to also focus attention on the agricultural sector, pointing out available records indicated that Nigeria had still had a long way to go even though the country was ranked among the most vibrant in the world.
“Another area that the president needs to work on is the agricultural sector. The facts and figures show that we still have a long way to go if Nigeria is to be ranked among the most vibrant countries in the world,” he said.
“From all indices, it is no doubt that our economy needs total overhauling. Though we have exited recession as claimed by Mr Adesina, efforts should also be made to revamp the economy from the abyss of stagnation,” he added.
Adams eulogised the efforts of the publishers of the online platform, Mr Gabriel Akinadewo, saying the platform presented a better opportunity for him to tell the president, through his spokesman, that he needed to concentrate on programmes that have a direct impact on the lives of the people of the grassroots.