The Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government to address the worsening economic situation of the country.
OSCS said failure to address the issue would lead to members of the group occupying the state and Nigeria at large, over the lingering hardship.
The ultimatum was given at a press conference addressed by the OCSC Chairman, Comrade Waheed Lawal and Secretary, Emmanuel Olowu, in Osogbo, on Thursday.
According to the statement, the agonies caused by the ongoing food crisis are becoming unbearable for common Nigerians.
The statement lampooned government at all levels for depriving Nigerians of the dividend from the subsidy removal, saying that the gain has been cornered by the executive and legislative arms of government.
The statement also noted that the Osun State government has failed to provide reasonable palliative to residents, adding that no tangible programme or project was achieved or initiated to ease the suffering of the people despite the increase in allocation the state is getting from the federal government.
The statement read, “The removal of subsidies has cast a shadow over the economic stability of Nigeria; and this is hampering productivity and killing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, taking away the purchasing power of the Nigerian people, creating hunger, starvation and skyrocketing foodstuffs and essential commodities prices, among other woes.
“The worse of the agonies is the ongoing food crisis where staple foods are now exclusive and unaffordable for the common Nigerians. The hardship is more alarming and heading towards elastic limit.
“It is only a government of the mafias that will deprive the mass majority of Nigerians to please the capitalists and their cronies. Where are the gains of subsidy removal? They have been cornered by the executive and legislative arms of government. The people have been forgotten. With all indications, it appears that President Bola Tinubu goofed on the pronouncement of subsidy removal. It was unexpected of somebody with a life-long ambition to make a loose statement that has been the albatross of his administration till now.
“The masses cannot continue to make sacrifice when the government officials are lavishing the common patrimony. Governors, National and State lawmakers and their cronies have been living large on our common wealth. It is irresponsive of the National Assembly members to have increased the assembly’s budget from N178bn to N344bn. How can you pretend to be solidarising with the poor when you are allocating humongous size of the subsidy gains to yourself? We have woken up from our slumber!.”
The statement further added, “In Osun state, the palliative provision and Nigeria at large is shambolic and no tangible programme or projects have been achieved or initiated to ease the suffering of the people. We are aware of the increased accruable allocation to the state, the governor should endeavour to be judicious and humane on the finances of the state. We equally call on the Federal and state governments to balance infrastructure with humanitarian services.
“We have seen the manifestation of corruption on the gains of the fuel subsidy removal by various ministries under the Tinubu’s administration. All the palliatives initiatives are wired with fraud and insincerity. For how long will the government continue to lavish on palliatives that do not reach the common people?
“It is clear that the common Nigerian people have not gained anything from the subsidy removal, while the government officials are becoming richer daily. It is therefore important that the Nigerian people begin to mobilize and organize themselves for a mass action that is closer to us all. It is time to be united again for a common goal as we did in 2012.
“We hereby give the federal government seven days ultimatum to address the worsening economic situation, failure of which we are going to occupy the state and Nigeria at large.
“We call on labour and trade unions, artisans, market men and women, students and other Nigerians being affected by this economic hardship to join the imminent struggle of Occupy Nigeria 2024.
Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.
