An Abuja Civil Rights Lawyer, Eze Onyekpere has raised the alarm of the present administration’s continued disposition to foreign loans, saying the future generations of Nigerians have been mortgaged by the government.
The Lawyer spoke in Abuja on Thursday at a “Public Discourse on Ending Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria”, an event organized by ActionAid Nigeria.
Onyekpere noted that a lot of policies the government is implementing are anti-people and has made Nigerians poorer, with biting hardship.
According to him, the Nigerian government has continued to implement a tax system and regime that impoverishes the poor masses.
He called on the government to introduce a tax system where the rich will pay more, and stop putting the poor at disadvantage.
Earlier in his remarks, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu called on the government to evolve a more sustainable approach towards addressing the challenges faced by vulnerable people in the country.
Mamedu disclosed that in Maiduguri, residents, especially women and Children have been displaced by the recent devastating
flood, which has further impoverished the poor masses working for survival.
He said, “ every action we take should focus on the people who have been affected by this disaster. We must conduct a strategic analysis of their immediate needs and ensure that the interventions are aligned with their realities. This is not just about providing relief; it’s about restoring their dignity and ensuring they are not further traumatized by the processes that are meant to help them.In this spirit, our approach must be empathetic.
“ There must be Accountability at every stage so that the aid reaches those who need it the most, and build the trust of the people.We need coordinated actions to not only respond to this immediate emergency but also to build resilient systems for the future. The warning signs were there; the forecasts were clear. Yet, our preparation was not enough. We cannot afford to repeat this mistake.
“ Following devastating floods in 2022, The Federal Government unfolded a National strategic Plan of Action, through a comprehensive report produced by the presidential committee on floods, inaugurated, the report comprises both mitigating and Adaptation plan”.
