Buhari Your Policies Are Not Working, Nigerians Are Suffering – Religious Leaders Speak Out

Some Religious bodies in the country have described the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as increasing hunger in the land.
Similarly, leaders of various Christian and Islamic groups in the country took a swipe at the Federal Government, noting that its policies had led to loss of jobs, closure of companies and “massive” hunger in the country. Too many people are struggling to just feed today.
Speaking to Punch, the clerics said the government’s economic policies had failed to have positive impact on the lives of Nigerians, calling on President Buhari to review the situation.
For instance, the Christian Association of Nigeria said Nigerians were “truly passing through hunger, hard times and can hardly feed.”
Director of Legal and Public Affairs, CAN, Kwamkur Samuel, said, “You need no angel to tell you there is real hunger in the land. Speak with Nigerians, go to the market, and attempt to travel by road or by air, then you will confirm that things are hard.
“I am not aware of any viable and popular poverty alleviation programme of this government, hence I can’t say whether it is working or not. Government needs to take the bull by the horn and face the challenges facing the nation. Let us stop dwelling on the past and work hard for today and the future with tolerance and respect for each other.”
Also, the leadership of CAN in the 19 northern states and Abuja lamented that Nigerians were suffering and going through pains and hunger under the APC-led Federal Government.
The Northern CAN’s PRO, Revd. John Hayab, said the government should embark on policies that show they are concerned about the plight of the citizens.
“We’re calling on the government to really sit down before pronouncing some policies. We voted for them (people in government) and we don’t want them to fail,” he said.
In a similar vein, the Chairman and Spiritual Father, Cherubim and Seraphim Church Worldwide (Ayo Ni O), Most Revd. Samuel Abidoye, said it was a “curse” that Nigerians were suffering and hungry despite the resources at government’s disposal.
He said, “With the Yuletide around the corner, this is a very dismal situation. What type of Christmas would Nigerians celebrate? How would they face the New Year in this situation? This will be one of the poorest Christmas celebrations in recent time.”
The President of The Muslim Congress, Dr. Luqman Abdur Raheem, said government’s policies had increased hunger in the country, citing division within the President’s party as a reason.
He also said most of the poverty alleviation programmes initiated by the Federal Government were only on the pages of newspapers, with no reality on the ground.
He said, “There is poverty in the land and it’s genuine. People are hungry; they are suffering. Beyond sentiments, the expectations from this government were high, but when they (political office holders) got there, they found out that there was no money due to fall in oil prices and corruption.
“Still, the APC couldn’t manage its success well. There are selfish interests and what we have now is real hunger which is not professionally managed. We agree with Nigerians who say the government’s policies are killing.”
In a similar manner, Chief Imam, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdulRahman Ahmad, said Buhari should not stop at merely acknowledging the fact that Nigerians were passing through hard times as he did recently, asking the President to act fast to soften the hardship of the citizens.
He said, “You cannot continue to ask Nigerians to be patient. You cannot continue to preach to a hungry man. Something must be done quickly. The hunger is real and genuine.
“Nigerians must continue to get their feelings across to the government in a manner that will not complicate issues, though. We must support the government, but at the same time hold them accountable.”
Likewise, the President of Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Dr. Saheed Ashafa, said the Buhari administration should be blamed for the country’s economic predicament, considering the rate of hunger among Nigerians today.
He said, “What we’re expecting from the government is to do things that will pull us out of this economic crisis. We can’t believe that this government is working for us, seeing how the lawmakers recently took delivery of brand new cars.
“The body language of the government is not convincing us that it is doing enough to lift us out of hunger and economic recession. However, as a people, we should be patient and prayerful, but we should not keep quiet. We should keep expressing our views to the government until it gets things right.”