Posted by As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration approaches its one-year anniversary, some Ogun State people have expressed dissatisfaction with its performance, describing it as a year filled with hardships.
On May 29, 2023, President Tinubu took office, and his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ was met with great anticipation.
Within hours of his inauguration, the price of Premium Motor Spirit, more commonly known as petrol, jumped from N185 to more than N600, as he announced the termination of fuel subsidies.
Many Nigerians suffered greatly as a result of the subsidy cut, which drove up the prices of food and other necessities as well as transportation costs.
Nevertheless, our source noted that border areas in Ogun are bearing the brunt of the petroleum crisis, with prices ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 Naira per liter.
The continued prohibition on the sale of petroleum products in the border towns within the 20 kilometers radius has forced locals to rely on the illicit market for fuel, according to our correspondent.
To combat the illegal export of petroleum products, former President Muhammadu Buhari said in 2019 that sales of the commodity in border towns would be banned.
Residents in the border region continue to face the fuel issue every time there is a shortage, even after more than five years.
In an interview with koupun, several Ogun residents reflected on Tinubu’s first year in office and expressed their dismay at the worsening economic situation in the country, which they said was caused by Tinubu’s policies.
A local of Abeokuta named Adetoye Funsho told koupun that the president’s “one year in office felt like 10 years”.
It was “a year of pain,” she said, because even the most basic necessities were out of reach for the average person.
She endured a year of starvation, misery, and sorrow. We are all pulling our weight and making good progress. The fact that this past year feels like ten seems to make it even more difficult and less hilarious. It feels like we’ve been through hell and back for the last several years.
“We were hoping things would improve, but instead they’re getting worse.”
Olugbenga Gabriel, a merchant, lamented the soaring prices of transportation and other goods and services, noting that utilities like water and electricity had also skyrocketed.
The elimination of fuel subsidies and the foreign exchange policy, in Gabriel’s view, did nothing good for the economy.
Everyone is griping about how expensive everything is.
It is the responsibility of the government to make sure that all citizens have access to power.
“I was also hoping that things would improve once the Naira appreciated, but that hasn’t happened; so, what are the effects of removing subsidies and all these policies?” He bemoaned it.
The president’s efforts were welcomed by biker Kolade Sodiq, though.
Because leading this nation is no picnic, we’d want to start by welcoming our president.
“I believe our president is making an effort; he requires our backing.”
As for the current administration, another local, Kolawole Adeyemi, said that Nigerians should hold off on criticism until four years have passed.
Everyone knows that the subsidy should have been eliminated a long time ago, and every presidential candidate has pledged to do just that.
It follows that a great deal of sacrifice will have to take place in order for it to be removed. In all candor, I believe that we should simply provide him some time.
Things are tough in the country, but if anything good is going to come out of it, it will be tough first.
You can’t fix a problem that has persisted for years in a single year. “Our best bet is to wait and watch what happens in the next three to four years,” he continued.