From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
President of Yoruba Community in Benue State, Adeyemi Apanpa, has called on President Bola Tinubu to roll out palliative measures to cushion effects of petrol subsidy removal.
Apanpa told newsmen in Makurdi that delay in the launch of palliative programmes which ought to have been rolled out before the announcement of petrol subsidy removal was taking serious adverse affects on citizens as the economy of the country revolves around petroleum.
Apanpa, an economist, advised that proceeds realised from subsidy removal should be invested in health, power, education Agriculture and infrastructural sectors.
He expressed worry that failure to act fast may plunge the country into recession, adding that the situation is steadily worsening as a result of non-increment in salary which is reducing purchasing power.
“In Germany and other European countries, their government subsidise the essential sectors like agriculture, power and others essential sectors. So, Nigeria has to look inwards and solve the problems in our own way. African problems required African solutions”.
He stated that rather than adopting foreign economic policies, the president should look inward towards addressing the economic situation of the country.
On students loan, he enjoined the Federal Government to be cautious of its plan to hands off financing university education, saying such may increase the tuition fees to a level that many Nigerian parents would not be able to pay and thus leading to many children dropping out of school.
He expressed optimism that the president with his experience in politics and governance would appoint round pegs in round holes to help him provide good governance to the citizenry and lead the country out of the woods.