Tag: high cost of living

Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) on Thursday, May 2, said despite the current hardship in the country, things could have been worst but for the present government heeding to cries and calls of well meaning Nigerians, aside from that of the Association. 

According to the group, the immediate past administration at its twilight subjected Nigerias to many challenges occasioned by the escalating dollar rise and cash crunch which was compounded by the fuel subsidy removal.

Speaking, the National President, Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria, Dr Kazeem Olaniyan, said the present administration in yielding to a call by has made palliative and labour friendly policies available which are easing the effect of the economic challenges. 

Olaniyan spoke while fielding questions from reporters at the Press Conference to herald the 15th Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Association tagged Ibadan 2024 with the theme “National Development: The New Dynamics and Nuances”.

Other dignitaries billed to attend the conference include: Vice President Kazim Shettima, Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Mohammed Bago (Niger), His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto as well as His Eminence, Alhaji Daud Makanjuola Akinola, the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land Edo and Delta states.

The 3-day event which begins on Friday, May 3rd (today) is to be declared opened by the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

Speaking, Olaniyan said the theme naturally flows from the resolve of last years AGC which focused on how politicians used religion to divide and deceive the people. 

He said “You can attest to the fact that things are not working as we expect, but it would have been worst than now if not for the cries and calls of right meaning Nigerians. 

“As at the time the last administration was going away, we had this crisis of Dollar and Naira swap. It caused a lot of havoc. People died because of that. That one is gone forever. 

“The removal of subsidy that came immediately after the swearing in of this government, it was strictly addressed at the AGC and our message was that, whatever it may cost, with palliative, government must look for a way to cushion the effect, the harsh effect of removing the subsidy, and we saw the government coming out with the labour friendly palliative such as 35 percent pay increment, N25,000 to N35,000 each as wage award and some others, to the extent that the galloping and jumping dollars has now come down.

“We are now at the verge of discussing what next, and that’s why we said “New Dynamics”, what next when these changes are coming up. Don’t forget the acronym and slogan of the ruling APC government in power, it is called Renewed Hope. 

“How hopeless were we that needs to be renewed. Who is responsible for the renewed hope? How hopeful is that person that is responsible for renewing our hope? Then, how far can we move when it comes to hope been renewed? These are the nuances. The new dynamics and the nuances coming together to play a key role in national development, that is what we are set for in this conference and we hope for a better Nigeria out of this.”

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He called on all Nigerians to hope for a better country, adding that the increase in prices of food and other commodities was not only the fault of government but also fault of Nigerians.

“We must all look at things we can do to solve the current challenges in Nigeria and that is what our annual general conference set out to do,” Olaniyan said.

Also speaking, the chairman, 2024 Conference Organising Committe, Musbau Adetunbi said over a thousand lawyers and non lawyers alike across the country will be attending the conference.

He said no fewer than 13 erudite speakers drawn from all the six geo-political zones of the country as well as eminent gentlemen and lady presenters comprising six professors, three senior advocates, two consultants/physicians, three educationists and a banker will discuss the theme and sub-themes in nine sessions and the grand dinner.

Some  housewives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the high cost of living in the territory and Nigeria in general.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that it was becoming almost impossible for them  to feed and care for their families.

They said there was a need for  an urgent intervention  by the  Federal Government to bring sucour to  them.

According to them, after the removal of subsidy on petrol, many families have been struggling to make ends meet.

A civil servant, Alice Shembe, decried the continued depreciation of the naira, which had led to much money being spent on few goods in the economy.

`As the value of  our currency continues to decline, imported goods have become more expensive, leading to higher prices across  board.

“ This affects household budgets and undermines local industries’ competitiveness, perpetuating a cycle of economic hardship.

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“With each passing month, our salaries become  worthless and  Inflation  destroying our purchasing power, leaving us struggling to afford even the basic necessities.”

Shembe said that there was the need to urgently address the situation  before it is too late.

I am  happy the committee on the new minimum wage has started deliberating.

“I pray they act fast and the relevant authority also acts quickly to review workers’ salaries to enable us to make ends meet,” she said.

Bimbo Adetunde, a mother of four said that the ever increasing   inflation had eroded the purchasing power of Nigerians.

“The rising cost of living has put so much pressure on our family’s finances because I am a full-time housewife who brings little or nothing to the table.

“Because of inflation, it is difficult to afford basic commodities and amenities like food, water, drugs and light.

“With the soaring  prices of goods and services, providing for our children’s needs is becoming increasingly difficult.

“I pray the government intervenes on these issues before we all die of hunger in this country.

Mrs Ngozi Okonkwo, a small business owner, said the recent removal of fuel subsidy without a commensurate cushion strategy,  has a direct impact on essential goods and services.

According to Okonkwo, the  continuous increase in prices of goods  has left many families helpless and unable to cope with the added financial strain.

“As a businesswoman, I know first hand how the removal of fuel subsidies has affected consumer spending.

“ People are more cautious with their little money which has negatively impacted on our sales as well.

“We need the government and relevant stakeholders to develop policies that support both businesses and consumers, especially during these challenging times,” she  said.

Kelechi Ajuwan said as a full-time housewife and  a graduate of Public Administration, she has given up on searching for job after eigth years.

“I gave up my search for a job after  eight years without results. So, my family has been surviving on my husband’s income.

“I must say that the times have become very tough. The cost of goods has skyrocketed, and it is even becoming very difficult for many families to plan for tomorrow.

“ So it is imperative that the government takes decisive action to address these challenges and alleviate the burden on ordinary citizens.

Blessing Eze, a trader, said the government should increase its efforts to promote local production, control product pricing and reduce reliance on imports.

“I have seen how rising prices have affected my customers. People are cutting back on their purchases, opting for cheaper alternatives or buying in smaller quantities.

“It is a tough situation for everyone, and we need solutions that will address the root causes of these problems,” Eze said.
Esther Luka, a businesswoman who run a non-governmental organisation, said it would take the  collective efforts of Nigerians to tackle the current economic crises.

Luka said the solidarity and cooperation of all stakeholders, whether government, businesses, civil society or individuals was paramount.

“We all need to come together to pursue solutions that will alleviate the suffering of our fellow citizens and ensure a brighter future for everyone.

“I think the time for action is now. We need to work together to  build a more resilient and prosperous Nigeria where every family can thrive, “she said.

(NAN)

The Senate on Tuesday, February 27, urged the federal government to introduce the Nigeria version of the food stamps programme as an interventionist measure to cushion the effects of food insecurity/shortage in the country.

This is even as the red chamber mandated the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to liaise with development partners and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, which introduced Temporary Food Assistance Programme (TEFAP), few years ago.

“This is with a view to working out practicable templates and implementable modalities for the actualisation of the programme,” Senate said.

These resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adopted of a motion titled: “Introduction of food stamps in Nigeria as an interim measure to address imminent food insecurity in the country” sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South) and co-sponsored by Senator Mustapha Saliu (APC – Kwara Central).

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Ndume in his lead debate, said the Senate has noted that at the unveiling of the October 2023 Cadre Harmonise Analysis on food insecurity, it was projected that in 2024, Nigeria is expected to see about 26.5 million people, grappling with high level of food insecurity.

He further noted that the reason for the above projection was not far-fetched, “as several indicators, which include but not limited to the ongoing conflicts across the country, climate change impacts, escalating inflation as witnessed in recent time, and rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities, due to fall in value of Naira in exchange market.”

He said he is worried that many hungry and angry Nigerians have been expressing their frustration and anger over the recent increase in food prices by demonstrating on the streets in several cities across the country.

According to him, the Senate is also aware that in other countries, like the United States of America, Food Stamp which is a government-issued coupon that is given to low-income and non-income persons and is redeemable for food, “have been used since 1933 to date as a measure to cushion the resultant hardships and sufferings on the poor/less privileged as well as low-income earners.”

He expressed concern that the clamour for wage increase and work support cannot alone guarantee a more effective way of addressing food insecurity without the introduction of time-tested public assistance programme, “as contemplated by this motion with particular emphasis on the need for immediate food support across the country.”

Senators in their contribution supported the motion.

On his part, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, described the initiative as laudable.

He however demanded that measures be put in place to guide against abuse.

Senator Abba Moro noted that “there is no better time than now to devise ways to deal with food insecurity.

“There is dire need for us to provide a system that is fool proof to provide for ordinary Nigerians. Let us give serious thought to this document and encourage the Executive to adopt it as a working document.”

Senator Suleiman Sadiq (APC – Kwara North) said: “This is so apt and we should encourage Mr. President. But we should ensure that people don’t take advantage of it. We should have a fool proof programme to ensure that only those who need the food get it.”

Senator Solomon Adeola (APC – Ogun West) called for deployment of modern technology to curb potential abuses.

“The question is how do we achieve this for over 200million population. Our data must be in place, to ensure that the real vulnerable Nigerians get it. I am in total support of this to take care of the vulnerable Nigerians.”

Senators approved the two prayers of the when they were put to voice vote by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin over presided over plenary during debate on the motion.