The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the current palliatives released by the federal government to cushion the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy and work towards implementing measures that will truly make a difference in the lives of the citizens.
CNG spokesperson Abdul-Azeez Suleiman in an open letter to the President on perception of lopsideness in appointments and the pervasive frustration, hunger and anger in the land, said it is imperative that the government takes steps to ease the financial burden on the citizens and ensure that they are not left to suffer due to the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Group said the current palliatives approved to ease the pains of the removal of fuel subsidy are grossly inadequate.
“As a result, they are only adding to the public frustration and agitation by causing a resultant rise in market prices of commodities,” it said.
According to the group, the recent approval of palliatives to ease the burden of the removal of fuel subsidy, unfortunately, falls far short of what is required to truly make a difference.
It said the impact of these palliatives is negligible, and they are not serving to alleviate the suffering of the citizens.
“Secondly, we wish to bring to your attention a crucial issue that affects millions of students in the country. Despite your recent directive for the status quo of school fees to be maintained in universities and tertiary institutions, most higher institutions have hiked their fees, causing immense hardship for students and their families.
“The current situation is alarming, as millions of students are unable to meet up with the exorbitant fees being charged by these institutions.
” As a result, many students are forced to drop out of school, abandoning their dreams of getting an education and fulfilling their potential.
“It is crucial that urgent action be taken to address this issue. Students are the future of our country, and they deserve access to quality education without undue financial burden.
“While we recognize the need for universities and tertiary institutions to generate revenue, it should not be at the expense of students’ education.
“We, therefore, appeal to you to act to ensure that institutions comply with your directives to maintain the status quo of fees and take appropriate measures to penalize institutions that violate this directive.
“We also urge you to explore alternative ways of funding tertiary education to reduce the overreliance on tuition fees.
“Thirdly, we wish to respectfully draw your attention to the fact that the current palliatives approved to ease the pains of the removal of fuel subsidy are grossly inadequate. As a result, they are only adding to the public frustration and agitation by causing a resultant rise in market prices of commodities.
“While it is understandable that the government needs to take certain measures to address the economic challenges that the country is facing, it is important that these measures do not cause undue hardship on the citizens,” the group said .
