A chieftain of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has declared that many Nigerians now scramble for palliatives as a result of widespread poverty and hardship in the country.
Oguntoyinbo made this declaration while speaking on the recent stampedes that occurred in some parts of the country.
Recall that no fewer than thirty five children died as a result of stampede that occurred in Ibadan recently.
Similar incidents occured in Anambra and Abuja few days after.
Oguntoyinbo while reacting called on governments at various levels in the country to ensure that the fortunes of Nigerians are improved in the new year 2025.
The NNPP chieftain in a statement on Monday to usher in the New Year 2025 said Nigerians have suffered in the midst of plenty due to several harsh policies of governments at various levels in the outgoing year 2024, saying all hands must be on deck to ensure that the situation is improved in 2025.
He said, “We should thank the Almighty God for keeping us till this time. The outgoing year has been a very harsh one for an average Nigerian as the cost of staple foods skyrocketed leaving many families sleeping on empty stomachs.
“The removal of subsidy on petroleum products by President Bola Tinubu and the failure of the palliatives released by the Federal Government to reach the downtrodden has made life miserable for many Nigerians.
“It is sad that Nigerians now scramble for foodstuffs through various donors leading to stampede and avoidable deaths in many locations in the country but most notably in Ibadan where over 35 children died, in Okija, Anambra state and at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja where many lost their lives.
“The stampede and the attendants deaths are products of the abject poverty to which many Nigerians have been to.
“While we commiserate with those who lost their loved one in the various stampede, we beckon on governments to make foodstuffs affordable to all Nigerians.
“I hereby appeal to the President and the state governors to please as we enter the new year works towards improving the lives of Nigerians.
“Policies must be carried out with human faces. Nigeria and Nigerians are blessed by the Almighty Allah through various mineral resources and they should not continue to suffer in the midst of plenty.
“The President as the minister of Petroleum must crash the prices of Petroleum Products as a way of helping the masses to breath”.