Recession: Buhari urged to revamp economic policies

A group, the Salvage for Development Initiative (SDI), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to revamp his economic policies, saying the  policies cannot take the country out of the economic woes it is currently facing.

Led by its Executive Director, Peter Ajayi, the group lamented whvat it called  the poor economic performance of the government since it  assumed power.

The group also added that the present administration’s war against corruption was not yielding the necessary results, alleging that  no suspect has been jailed to prove the sincerity of the whole crusade.

“Nothing has changed for the better in the lives of our people. Poverty has increased. Unemployment is off the chart. Hunger roams about like a hungry lion and continues to devour our people with no end in sight. The basic amenities of life – food, water, electricity, and good road remain elusive as ever. Our people are in constant fear and worries. They are scared of today and tomorrow on how to make ends meet,” Ajayi said.

The SDI further explained that although under former president, Goodluck Jonathan, “the country was plundered and soaked in a dirge of doom,”  he stressed that Nigerians believed Buhari would set things right. He  however said after a year and a half, the administration had largely not met the expectations of Nigerians.

“The Jonathan years witnessed a once-mighty nation staggering on the brink of collapse. The evil of corruption and other ancient evils – poverty, disease, hunger, fear, insecurity, indiscriminate killings, abduction, kidnapping, political assassination, and other vestige of barbarism had permeated every segment of our national life: homes, institutions, professions, businesses, churches, mosques, shrines, youths, the elderly,  politicians, prophets, and priests,” said SDI.

The SDI leader further lamented “If the president fails to act speedily, he will lose the war on corruption.

“Losing the war on corruption is as good as losing the trust and confidence reposed on him by the Nigerians. We will not forgive him if he loses the war. People’s patience is dying by the day on the extremely slow pace of things in Nigeria. Anxiety and confusion have replaced hope and optimism. Issues of power and corruption are good examples that readily come to mind,” the group said.

“Till now, no one has been convicted for corruption. Where are those who have personally confessed to the corruption charges levelled against them, where are those who have refunded part of the funds embezzled, where are those who have pleaded to settle out of court, where are those that buried millions of foreign currencies in their farm lands and even in the their soak aways? Those who are supposed to be serving at different prisons are still walking freely in the land. What has suddenly happened to the anti-corruption promises made by the Mr President?  What a shame,” it said.