Group To Buhari: End Hardship, Suffering Of Nigerians

. Commiserate With Igbo Traders Over Kano Fire Incident.

. Defend Kachiukwu over Feul Crisis     

BY PAUL EJIMKONYE, ENUGU

PRES BUHARI

The Igbo Awareness Coalition (ICA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to end the hardship  Nigerians are currently undergoing by quickly implementing his economic policies.

The group said in the last one year the APC led Federal Government came on board, it has been excruciating for Nigerians, as never before has the Nigerian populace witnessed such untold hardship and economic crunch.

In a statement made available to this online newspaper in Enugu and signed by the group president, Rev Emmanuel Duru, it called on President Buhari to quickly implement the 2016 budget as a major step towards revive the ailing economy.

 The group stressed that while some of the proactive measures adopted by the President such as the fight against corruption, taming the insurgency in the North East and re-connecting Nigeria to the global community through his frequent visits are commendable and laudable initiatives, it called for concerted efforts on the part of the President to end the suffering and misery Nigerians are facing.

The ICA had last week called for the distribution of $I million dollars to each Nigerian with Biometric Verification Numbers (BVN) when the $200 billion dollars loot stolen by some former governors and Ministers are recovered from Dubai.

 It also advised the President to quickly hasten the pace in actualizing his numerous campaign promises to the nation.

 Part of the statement reads “We appreciate the efforts of the APC led Federal Government towards bringing the much desired change but our greatest worry is the slow pace of governance of the present administration.  

“We subscribe to the President’s comments in his 2015 Independence Day anniversary speech where he said Order is vital than speed. But we are quick to add that delay can be dangerous as  delay in implementing his economic policies could only lead to increasing hunger and hardship among Nigerians.

 “If nothing is urgently done about the economy, we may see a sorry situation where Nigerians will be collapsing on the streets of Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Port- Harcourt and in other parts of the country because of hunger.

“Soon, this government will celebrate one year in office and it is regrettable that the level of suffering and hardship facing Nigerians is yet to abate” the group stated.

On the call for the sack of the Minister of State of Petroleum, Ibe Kachiukwu by the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, the ICA said the Minister should be left alone as he is not the originator of the fuel scarcity across the country.

“The issue of fuel scarcity in the country has been a hydra headed problem for successive administrations in the county.

“Kachiukwu is not the originator of the fuel crisis in the country and the long lines at filling stations. It has been with us for a very long time. Singling out the Honourable Minister of State for derision simply because he told Nigerians the truth about the fuel situation in the country does not mean he is incompetent.

“ If President Buhari could admit that his government has been slow in the last one year and things will change for the better in the remaining three years, then Minister Kachiukwu should not be condemned for telling Nigerians that the fuel crisis is not redeemable till May 2016” the group stated.

It called on the Kano State government to compensate Igbo traders whose shops and wares were destroyed in the recent fire incident in Sabon Gari. It said Igbos  contribute significantly to the economic growth of  Kano State and other northern states and therefore deserved to be to compensated over such unfortunate disaster.