What Nigerians are expecting as Pres Tinubu makes first national broadcast
News broke Monday morning that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will tonight address the nation, according to his spokesman and a minister designate, Mr Dele Alake, but did not give in details what the address will be hinged on.
It is believed and based on Neptune Prime speculations that President Tinubu will tell Nigerians his plans as regards the current economic situation caused by the removal of subsidy on fuel and how his administration tends to respond to the negative effects and shock on millions of Nigerians particularly the low and middle income earners – the masses.
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Since the announcement of the discontinuation of subsidy on fuel, prices of the commodity have more than tripled across the nation and the masses bear the brunt as they pay through their noses to survive the day due to the high cost of living.
This removal of subsidy on fuel has literally restricted millions of Nigerians who commute daily to their offices to either trek a long distance to catch a cheaper transport fare or save the extra cash for the next day.
Recall few weeks ago, the Federal Government in its wisdom initiated palliatives for Nigerians to cushion the effects of the removal of subsidy. The government announced that it will disbursed the sum of N8,000 to 12 million poor households in the country that’s less than 10% of the country’s population and way below the figures of those who are multi-dimensionaly poor according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
While the government was trying to douse the tensions welling up millions the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in its initial reaction early June threatened and nationwide industrial action but the court intervened they continued dialogue with government which yielded to nothing until the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) from no where without prior notice tested the patience of the masses and increased the price again for the second time within less than a month.
The reasons given by the leadership of the NNPCL was that the current increase was due to the “market forces”.
That said, the FG few days after the announcement of the current increase said it has reviewed the N8,000 palliatives and would no longer go ahead with it providing other plans which it has yet to kick start.
But in all these, NLC had last week Wednesday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FG to reverse its anti-people economic policies or face a full blown nationwide industrial action. It is five days after the threat and the FG is yet to respond.
Tonight may be one of the responses as Nigerians anticipate what the president has to say as regards the economy.
Although, the president has at several occasions appealed to Nigerians for calm and patience saying his government is trying everything possible to relief the pains.