Citizens across Nigeria have expressed worry over the continued rising prices of essential commodities such as rice, beans, garri, flour, sugar, tomatoes, pepper, onions among others, thereby calling on the President Bola Tinubu’s led administration to reintroduce subsidy to the price of petroleum products and agriculture implements.
In Ondo state, BusinessDay reports that the current challenging situations have prompted prayers on the mountains, Churches, Mosques and other places by the people, while some residents have called on the Ondo state and federal governments to take decisive control measures on the situations.
Gabriel Akinadewo, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, (BOT) Motailatu Organisation Worldwide, who spoke on Sunday during the 60th anniversary of Motailatu Church of God in Ondo Town, Ondo West local government area of Ondo State, faulted Bola Tinubu’s led Administration on the way the issues of insecurity and inflation were being handled in the country said the current situation is beyond explanation.
He, however, described the inflation and the rise of goods and services as something that needed divine intervention.
“There is nowhere in the world that there is no subsidy. Even in the United States of America (USA), there is an agreed-upon subsidy. We need to rethink”, he said.
Akinadewo, the leader of Motailatu Church of God, who also expressed worry over the way church leaders and prominent citizens of the country were kidnapped and killed despite the payment of ransom to the kidnappers, advised the Federal Government to do the right thing to stem insecurity in the country.
The cleric said there are some cases in Court, especially the ones that related herdsmen destruction of farmlands, banditry and terrorism and have lasted for over five years without any headway. Some of the cases had been forgotten because of the duration
“This is not right for the psyche of an average Nigerian. Once you arrest a terrorist or bandit, the trial should not be more than between two to three months. That is what Nigerians want. A Redeemed Pastor was killed in Oyo state last week while going on a mission with some people. This man was kidnapped and after collecting ransom the Redeemed Pastor was killed. This doesn’t make sense in a country like Nigeria.
“A few days ago we sent our soldiers to Sierra Leone to maintain peace. Why can’t we do the same in Nigeria? In anything you want to do, intelligent gathering is the key. It is not about going about with riffles. Once we have effective intelligent gatherings, these bandits, I don’t think they are more than 20 or 30 thousand people.
“They are the ones terrorizing Nigerians. We have prayed and prayed but the government should do what is right. No group of people can overpower the government. As long as you are within the 774 local governments in Nigeria, as long as you are 36 states of the federation including FCT, the president of the country can get you anywhere you are. Anywhere you are they will smoke you out when they are ready.
“How come that terrorists are all over the place? They kidnapped another Catholic Pastor in Kaduna last week but he was rescued after paying ransom. This doesn’t make sense at all. The government must be serious. If they want to get all these terrorists in one month or two, they will get them. Intelligent system gatherings will get them.
“The government must do what is right so that Nigerians can be free. What is happening is affecting the economy of the country. Once you get them, deal with the evil. Whatever the name they called themselves, terrorists, bandits, or kidnappers, the government must neutralize them for the country to have peace”, he added.
Akinadewo also advised the president to enlarge his economic team to accommodate those in the private sector that understand the economy.
“We have many Nigerians that know much about the economy. The president doesn’t need to appoint them officially. Let him bring them together and sit with the president once a month with the economy team led by the Minister of Finance, CBN Governor, and others and discuss the naira fluctuations and we all know that it is the dollar that regulates whatever we do here.
“The government needs to do something drastic about that because Nigerians are hungry presently. The president cannot employ everybody. Others can employ but if he is now dislodging or displacing those who can employ people economically, people will be jobless.
“Look at the banks now. They are sacking people. It is the middle class that can employ many Nigerians. How many people are working in an oil company? How many people are working in banks? But once we empower the middle class they will be able to employ as many as possible. Once he does that, Nigerians will be happy,” he said.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
