HARDSHIP: PROTESTS, A THREAT TO NIGERIA!

By Prisca Ikebude.

Rising prices of for foodstuffs across Nigeria, principally prompted by the ravaging national insecurity, unstable exchange rate regime and unplanned fuel subsidy removal are really taking tolls on the cltizenry.Though President Ahmed Tinubu inherited a parlous economy characterised by disturbing vices, his apparent failure to dispassionately manage those challenges has, in the main rather put the country at risk.Of course the intractable insecurity situation expectedly discouraged farmers from the farmlands and the cattle rearers from the bushes for fear of death in the hands of criminals.And for a largely mono- product and import – dependent economy like ours, inflationary trend explained the hike in the prices of goods and services.Unfortunately, the unexplained delay in unfolding the governments’ promised palliative measures to cushion the negative impacts of the hurriedly implemented fuel subsidy removal added to the excruciating pains of the citizens.The restive youths and women who were hit by the sad scenario resorted to Street protests to ventilate their bottled anger and frustrations over the biting economic policies.The protests which started in Niger State gradually moved to Kano State and Osun State with the unnecessary arrest of some protesters capable of triggering a nation- wide protests especially as the organised threat against the government for reneging on their agreement.
Two opposition political parties ‘ condemnations of the government’s poor economic policies seem not to convince the APC- led government that all is not well with the economy and the citizens.However, the World Bank has predicted that severe food crisis looms in Borno and six other states of the federation, a development that not only perturbs the rational but portends ominous danger to our fragile country. The unemployed and underemployed are already engaged in criminal activities to remain alive.And they are keenly watching those in governments who obviously are living above their means contrary to the belt- tightening message to the citizenry. Worse still, the anti- graft agencies are believed to be docile as suspects of corruption that belong to the ‘right ‘ political parties work freely on the streets, untouched.Too, the organised labour is accused of compromise as the government seems to have reduced it to a mere barking dog.
No doubt, that inflationary trend and devaluation of the national currency as well as the hike in petroleum products have caused sharp rise on the costs of rent, transport and food items to the detriment of an average Nigerian.

The federal government in reaction to the spreading high cost of living protest has, reportedly, ordered release of 102,000 metric tonnes of suh instaple foods as rice and maize.Thiis is a step in the right direction but it must be stated that the quantity is grossly insufficient for a country with a p to population of over 200 million and more than half multi-dimentionally poor.In fact, the Federal High Court’s Order to the government t fix the price s of certain foods need to be taken into consideration in tackling the cost of living crisis.Beyond that, the CBN, FIRS and other key government agencies directly involved in fiscal and monetary policies should head together to ameliorate the sufferings of the citizens before the protests snowball into unintended scenario.The minimum wage issue as well as necessary palliative measures should be expeditiously implemented to avoid regrets. The government should take useful advice from different quarters including the opposition and shun undue propaganda and cheap politics.We therefore caution the APC-led government for labelling the spreading food crisis protests as the sponsored job of the opposition.Truly, y protests are real as they cut across such primordial vestige as creed, tribes , languages and partisan politics.To be fore+ warned is to be fore+armed !