President Bola Tinubu has been urged to observe the struggles of Nigerians during the day, rather than at night, to fully comprehend the suffering caused by current economic policies.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) made this call on Sunday through a statement from its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko.
HURIWA emphasized that if the President wants to truly understand the devastating effects of his administration’s policies, he should move around incognito during the day, when millions of Nigerians are awake and grappling with the consequences of poor governance and economic hardship. The group criticized Tinubu for reportedly touring Abuja at night, when most people are asleep, which fails to give him an accurate sense of the nation’s reality.
The group was reacting to comments made by Abia Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who claimed that Tinubu often drives around the city at night to gauge the people’s concerns. Kalu’s remarks came while Tinubu was away in France on a personal leave, though he has since returned.
HURIWA expressed disappointment with the government’s lack of action to ease the economic pressure on Nigerians. They challenged the President to visit various markets across the country during the day to see firsthand how food prices and essential goods have skyrocketed since his administration began in May 2023.
The organization stressed that any government unable to stabilize the prices of basic necessities, such as food and medicine, is failing to function properly. HURIWA also criticized the claim that the President is keeping in touch with Nigerians’ struggles at night, pointing out that the best way to understand their hardships is during the day, when markets are bustling with activity.
To get a true sense of the nation’s economic situation, HURIWA recommended that President Tinubu visit markets such as Ariaria in Aba, Dugbe in Ibadan, Calabar Central Market, and others in Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Kano, and Lagos. These locations, the group argued, would provide the President with real insight into the suffering endured by both the rich and the poor.
The group also condemned the World Bank’s recommendations, which it claims have worsened the economic situation. HURIWA criticized the institution for advocating the continuation of harsh economic reforms that have caused widespread poverty and suffering. According to the World Bank, an estimated 40.7% of Nigerians will live below the international poverty line by the end of 2024, a statistic HURIWA attributes to the administration’s poorly executed policies.
The human rights group concluded by expressing disbelief that the World Bank expects the situation to improve with 15 more years of similar economic measures, given that Nigeria already has the second-largest population of people living in poverty globally, behind India.
