ACF to Tinubu: Taxes are burdening Nigerians — address low purchasing power 

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) says the hardship being experienced by Nigerians is a result of the recent policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

On May 29, 2023, during his inauguration, Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy, and weeks later, the naira was floated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The two policies of the government were believed to have triggered the hardship that citizens are passing through.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the national executive council (NEC) of the AFC in Kaduna on Tuesday, the forum said the country’s current situation could degenerate into chaos if it is not addressed.

The forum lamented that “the times continue to be tough and challenging for the average citizen who is daily confronted with runaway inflation, unemployment, rapid deterioration in standards of living in the face of incidents of insurgency, terrorism, banditry, etc”.

“The immediate causes of the problems have been policies put in place by the government over the past months, including but not limited to the removal of subsidies from the prices of petroleum products, the floating of the naira, an astronomical hike in the cost of poorly supplied electricity, and increasing tariffs and taxes against the seemingly insensitive profligacy in spending by public officials, to name a few,” the communiqué signed by Tukur Muhammad-Baba, spokesperson of the forum, reads.

“ACF is equally worried about the widening regional disparities in social demographic factors, such as access to education, public health, infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, living conditions, etc.”

The forum asked the government to curb disparities in the country to ensure that “Nigeria does not become two-states-in-one”.

“Factors that unify rather than divide citizens along any lines should attract the attention of all concerned, government and citizens alike.

“As it has severally reiterated in recent public outings, ACF calls for urgent action and definitive attention by the government at all levels to confront the rapid decline in the living conditions of citizens.

“The addition of new taxes and levies becoming increasingly burdensome is too heavy to bear for ordinary Nigerians.

“The need for a rollout of public policy programmes and projects aimed at addressing low purchasing power challenges is clearly indicated.

“ACF calls on citizens to rally around the government and offer prayers for God Almighty’s intervention in our various tribulations, which will translate into a new, prosperous Nigeria where justice, equity, love, righteousness, and hope emerge to replace the current despair and hopelessness.”

The ACF added that government officials should shun the reckless spending of public funds.