By Halimah Olamide
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Sunday took another swipe against the performance of the economic policies of the Bola Tinubu’s administration describing it as dashing hopes.
In a statement by Atiku, he faulted Tinubu’s policies saying life is becoming harder by the day in the country.
“Nigerians are gravely concerned, and rightly so, that Tinubu’s poor response to Nigeria’s economic challenges is setting the stage for a prolonged and deeper domestic economic crisis,” he said
He said the economic policies, drawn from“a so-called renewed hope agenda, are ironically dashing hopes, creating pain and causing despair.”
Atiku alleged that the country’sprivate sector is shrinking by the day as small businesses are emasculatedwhile multi-nationalcompaniesareleavingNigeria in droves.
Adding that companies operating in the country are “confused and weary of the economy,”the former Vice President who contested against Tinubu in the last general election said the intense cost of living pressures has created more misery for the poor in towns and villages.|There is HUNGER IN THE LAND as basic commodities, including BREAD, are becoming out of reach for average Nigerians.
“His 2024 budget is a business-as-usual exercise, bereft of concrete ideas and actions that would support Nigeria’s journey toward economic transformation—consisting mainly of wasteful expenditures to cater to a bloated Federal Government,” he added
Atiku said the2024Appropriation lawwill not facilitate growth and cannot empowerNigerians.
“BAT has shown no capacity to deal with the adverse and disastrous impact of the new subsidy regime on the people and businesses and the new foreign exchange policy, which provides for a free-floating exchange rate.
“His initiatives are literally uninformed, arbitrary, and chaotic. BAT’s palliatives are too mean, pitiable, and contemptuous of the poor. He seems genuinely lost, bewildered, and overwhelmed,” he stated
Atiku said the failure of the Tinubu’s administration is further put forward by the continual blaming of the previous administration on the state of affairs in the country.
He said, “This is a familiar game popularised by former President Buhari while in office. It reinforces what we already know: that BAT came into office unprepared. Tinubu and his economic management team must swallow their pride, admit their missteps and failures, and follow those who know the terrain. They must act fast before the economy sinks deeper into the abyss. The question is, will they?”