The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has urged President Bola Tinubu to reassess his economic policies, stating that the removal of petrol subsidies and the floating of the Naira have significantly burdened Nigerians and deepened poverty across the nation.
Dr. Bitrus Pogu, MBF’s National President, spoke in Makurdi over the weekend, emphasizing that the economic downturn does not require expert analysis to see its effects. According to Pogu, “The government’s sudden removal of the petrol subsidy and the unregulated floating of the Naira have severely impacted millions, effectively crippling the economy over the past 17 months.”
Pogu criticized the administration’s approach, arguing that the dual policies have increased costs for essential goods, disproportionately affecting low-income citizens. He also highlighted that the absence of prior support measures, such as an accessible compressed natural gas (CNG) program, exacerbated the economic strain.
“If the government had prioritized the CNG initiative, making it affordable and available nationwide before the subsidy removal, citizens would have more options instead of bearing the high costs of petrol,” he noted, adding that the limited availability of CNG stations, mostly in Lagos and Obajana, has only worsened the situation.
Pogu called for a more strategic economic approach, urging the President to consult capable economic experts and to reconsider these policies, which he believes are hurting the most vulnerable Nigerians.
