Omiete Blessing
A former member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, Dr. Dagogo Farah, has urged the Federal Government being led by President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians.
The former federal lawmaker said as a matter of urgency, the Federal Government should make that the welfare of the masses paramount, saying that the ongoing ‘unpleasant’ economic policies have turned most Nigerians into indigent and increase their sufferings.
Hon. Farah spoke, on Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in his special Eid-el-fitri message to Muslims faithful.
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He said the purchasing powers of most Nigerians had reduced drastically in the face of high cost of goods and services, adding that the unfriendly ‘anti-people’ policies had taken negative and deep toll on the lives of the people.
He posited that just as most Nigerians from other religious creed, Muslims exhibited immense patience during the Holy Month of Ramadan, that preceded the Eid-el-fitri celebration, by fasting from sunrise to sunset, and dedicating extra hours to prayers and worships.
Hon. Farah said Christians equally demonstrated such sacrifices for nation building as recent as the Easter celebrations.
Hon. Farah, however, lamented that government at all levels, that were supposed to balance the teachings and lessons of the Holy periods of Easter and Ramadan by “being extremely compassionate to the people, ensure the results of their actions are gratifying opportunity for self-reflect, and be better leaders are busy doing the exact opposite”.
He expressed dismay that Nigerians are still grappling and bearing the brunt of the ill-conceived fuel subsidy removal, almost 10 months down the line, including the high cost of cooking gas and most recently hike in electricity tariffs, with denial to provision of basic amenities for the common man.
“I join millions of people around the globe in rejoicing with Muslims adherents on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast and celebration of Eid-el-fitri. But in the right context, most Nigerian Muslims do not have the financial muscle to celebrate this Eid-el-Fitr because of obnoxious anti-people policies that have taken a turn for the worse.
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Just as the Easter celebrations that was marred with forlorn expressions of abject misery, so does this celebration bore all resemblance. It is not too late for the Government to have a deep retrospection on its economic policies.
“I consider it a must and a matter of urgent importance for the Government to consider the welfare of the people as paramount with all policies suggesting and indicating such. These said unpleasant economic policies have turned many otherwise industrious Nigerians indigent and increase their sufferings.
“We are all still grappling and bearing the brunt of the ill-conceived fuel subsidy removal without any back up plan understanding fully well that the economy of the country revolves around it. Then, there is the increase in the cost of cooking gas and most recently hike in electricity tariffs with clear intention and directions that provision of basic amenities such as regular supply of power is out of the reach of the common man.”
He added that “In all of these, the government consider it important to subsidise the religion jamboree of a very few to the tune of ₦90 billion. If the welfare of the majority is truly a priority, making provision for such humongous amount of money in our current state of affairs would not have been an option”.