As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government clocks one year, some residents of Ogun State have rated his administration’s performances low, saying the last one year has been full of pains.
President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, amid high expectations from his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
During his inauguration, he declared an end to fuel subsidy and in a few hours, the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, moved up from N185 to over N600.
The removal of subsidy led to an increase in prices of food and other essential commodities, cost of transportation, among others, thereby bringing untold hardship upon Nigerians.
However, our correspondent observed that Ogun border communities are worst hit by the fuel crisis as a litre is sold for N 1,500 – N2,000.
Locals told our correspondent that they relied on black market for fuel due to the ongoing ban on the sale of petroleum products in the border communities that fall within the 20 kilometers radius.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2019 announced the ban of fuel sale in the border communities to curb smuggling of the products outside the country.
More than five years later, border residents are still battling the fuel crisis each time there’s fuel scarcity.
Assessing Tinubu’s one year in office, some Ogun residents, who spoke with DAILY POST, lamented the growing hardship in the country, which they blamed on Tinubu’s policies in the last one year.
In Abeokuta, Adetoye Funsho, a resident, told DAILY POST that the president’s “one year in office felt like 10 years”.
She described the year as ‘a year of pain’ where little items became out of the reach of the common man.
She said, “One year of pain, one year of hunger, of suffering. We are all managing; we are trying to push it. It has not been easy and it is not funny because this one year just looks like 10 years. It is as if we have been suffering for the past years.
“We have been hoping that things would be better but it is becoming worse.”
Also, a trader, Olugbenga Gabriel, bemoaned the high cost of commodities, including transportation, adding that water and electricity also became quite expensive.
Gabriel opined that the fuel subsidy removal and the foreign exchange policy had no positive effects on the country’s economy.
“Prices of things are too high, everyone is complaining.
“The government should try to ensure that everyone has access to electricity.
“I had also expected that when the Naira appreciated, things would get better, but it has not happened; so, the subsidy removal and all the policies, what are the impact?” He lamented.
But Kolade Sodiq, a motorcyclist, appreciated the president’s efforts.
“We want to first greet our president because it’s not easy to rule this country.
“I think our president is trying, he needs our support.”
Another resident, Kolawole Adeyemi, urged Nigerians to wait till four years before they could adequately criticize the present government.
“We know the removal of subsidy was long overdue and all the presidential aspirants promised to remove it.
“So, if it is to be removed, it means a lot of sacrifice is going to happen. But sincerely to me, we just need to give him time.
“Although things are very hard in the country, if anything is going to be good, then it is going to be hard first.
“What has been destroyed for several years cannot be corrected in just 365 days. So let’s see what happens in the next 3 to 4 years,” he added.