Analyst Faults Buhari’s Statement On Pump Price  

A public affairs analyst and lecturer in the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt,  Dr. Ken Nweke, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day broadcast where he compared Nigeria with other nations in terms of petrol pump price.
Nweke said that it was an error for the President to compare Nigeria with other countries like Saudi Arabia and Ghana among others, saying the level of infrastructure and standard of living between Nigeria and those countries are not the same.
The analyst who made this position known while speaking to journalists, last Friday, in reaction to the President’s speech, noted that Nigeria is still battling with minimum wage issue, insecurity, poor infrastructure coupled with hardship created by Covid-19 pandemic.
According to him, no amount of comparison will justify the increase in petrol pump prices other than to encourage the people to have hope in the future benefits of the policy.
“The President would have sought for ways to persuade and convince the public that deregulation or subsidy removal will benefit Nigerians in future and that it is  the way to go.
“There is no need to compare Nigeria with other countries because they are well-off in terms of infrastructure, security and standard of living.
“What we expect from the government is to look for ways to revive ailing industry like the Adjokuta Steel industry and restore the refineries”, he said.
Dr. Nweke, however, blamed those that wrote the Independence Day broadcast speech for the President for not doing their job well, and for  not advising Mr President correctly before coming to the public.

By: Collins Walter