The recent hike in the prices of fuel and electricity in Nigeria has been described as the highest level of insincerity and incompetence by President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressive Congress, APC government which has failed to live up to its electioneering promises.
A youth group, the New Generation Leadership, NGL, stated this in a Press Release by the Secretary of the group, Mr Adedayo Adegbayibi while calling on government to have a rethink and revert the increment.
The NGL said the ruling party has failed woefully to fulfill its electioneering promises of reducing cost of fuel by building more refineries and ensuring that the existing ones operate at maximum capacity.
According to the statement, “the government is not sincere and the level of incompetence shows everyday. While they harp on deregulation, It beats logic that we still import crude oil, despite being blessed with the natural resource while the government has not faired well in aiding electricity supply despite its many borrowing”.
Expressing disappointment, the New Generation Leadership in the statement said “this government promised us working and additional refineries, they promised to work on the economy, fight corruption and make life better for the people among other promises. But today we are witnessing the opposite of all they promised.”
“An average Nigerian now finds it so hard to eat three square meals as the increment has resulted in upsurge in costs of goods and services, which has worsened the biting hardship already faced by Nigerians who are already impoverished.”
Mr Adegbayibi noted that President Buhari has not been able to create any solution to the Nations many challenges and erratic power supply, instead it has continued to overburdened Nigerians, saying leadership is meant to create solution not give excuses.
He said, the government whether deregulating or privatising should have put the welfare and convenience of the people first, stressing that these anti-people policies were coming at a time when the covid-19 pandemic had greatly affected the people.
The New Generation Leadership which expressed its determination to continue to enhance good governance and vibrant leadership joined the Nigeria Labour Congress and all other Civil Society Organizations to call for the immediate reversal of these hikes and unburdening of Nigerians.
It also challenged President Buhari to begin the repairs of the Nations refineries, build more refinery, invest in electricity, improve health facilities, support businesses through grants and tax relief as well as build more infrastructure as part of the solution instead of paying mere lip services.
