There May Be Anarchy If Hardship Persists in Nigeria, Ex-Minister Essien Warns Govt

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

A former Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien, has warned that the escalating discontent across Nigeria due to severe economic hardship, could lead to a serious anarchy soon.

He, therefore, called on the federal government to urgently reconsider its economic policies, which he described as aggravating poverty and inflation, leaving millions of Nigerians struggling to survive.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Essien criticised the hasty removal of fuel subsidy and other economic policies of the Tinubu administration, arguing that they were inflicting unprecedented suffering on the populace.

He said, “The level of suffering across the country is unprecedented, except perhaps during the Nigerian Civil War. Families are struggling to meet basic needs.

“The policies, while perhaps well-intentioned, are exacerbating poverty, increasing inflation, and hurting the most vulnerable among us.”

He urged the federal government to rethink its approach and strike a balance between reducing the fiscal deficit and ensuring citizens do not plunge deeper into poverty.

Emphasising the need for fiscal discipline and cutting the cost of governance, he warned that “it is inhuman to continue down this path without a clear plan to ease the burden on the citizens.

“Our leaders cannot continue to fritter the commonwealth of the country recklessly and ask the people to make sacrifices.

“If urgent action is not taken to stem the hunger, poverty, and discontent in the country, we risk losing the patience of the people, and that could result in dire consequences,” he said.