Civil society organizations (CSOs) have called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritize addressing the growing hardships faced by Nigerians, asserting that the public is largely indifferent to the government’s excitement over a potential cabinet reshuffle.
In separate interviews with Vanguard, representatives from various CSOs highlighted pressing issues, including the current crisis in the petroleum sector, the depreciating naira, rising food prices, alarming insecurity, and escalating poverty. They stressed that these challenges demand urgent attention, as they are contributing to rising tensions across the country.
ANEEJ: Cabinet Reshuffle Lacks Impact on Economic Issues
The Executive Director of the African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) remarked, “While the President has the right to reshuffle his cabinet to appoint capable hands, the current economic situation is dire, and the public is unhappy. A survey of opinions today would reveal that most citizens are dissatisfied and are looking for immediate actions to alleviate problems, especially the sudden rise in petroleum prices that have negatively impacted the entire economy.”
He further criticized the removal of the oil subsidy, noting that while it was intended to resolve fiscal issues, it has failed to garner public trust. “The identity crisis of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has complicated matters. Many are uncertain whether NNPC is a private or public entity,” he added. This confusion contributes to the belief that ministerial reshuffles will not effectively address the underlying issues. “Only President Tinubu, as the Minister of Petroleum, can tackle these problems,” he concluded.
ActionAid: Reshuffling Ministers Won’t Solve Core Challenges
Echoing similar sentiments, ActionAid Nigeria stated that simply reshuffling ministers will not address the fundamental challenges facing Nigerians. They emphasized that without concrete policies and immediate actions to tackle the economic and social crises, the reshuffle would only serve as a temporary distraction from the pressing issues at hand.
The CSOs’ statements reflect a growing frustration among the Nigerian populace, who are increasingly calling for substantive reforms and effective governance in the face of ongoing economic difficulties.