By Tony Adibe
A former Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye has advised President Bola Tinubu to work towards the reduction of the cost of energy – electricity, petrol, gas, kerosene as the current cost is making life difficult for individuals, families, and corporate organizations in Nigeria.
Dr. Nwoye, who is a foundation member of the APC also advised Mr. President to work hard with his economic team and agencies to arrest the growing inflation that is hitting hard on the people, and impacting harshly on their lives. Nwoye gave the advice while speaking to journalists in Enugu on Thursday on what he regarded as “impactful projects and programmes” embarked on by Tinubu’s administration as he marks his one year in office.
The former Enugu APC chairman also bemoaned the high inflation rate which, some say, has shot through the roof-top in Nigeria, urging President Tinubu to do something quick to tackle the ugly trend. “The current inflation rate is making living and business planning difficult; that is the reality,” he said.
Dr Nwoye said that the government should, as a matter of urgency, also check and reduce the cost of energy , particularly, electricity, gas, petrol, and kerosene, “as it is having a daily impact on the expenses of individuals, families and corporate organisations”.
He, however, lauded President Tinubu’s administration on massive road infrastructure and students’ loan initiatives within a year. He said that the present administration had set in motion massive and legacy road constructions such as the Lagos-Calabar Super Coastal Multi-Carriage Highway.
This Coastal Multi-Carriage Highway will traverse most states in the South-West and South-South as well as have overflow branches to about two states in the South-East, according to him.
The politician said: “We also have fast and solid work ongoing in the Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriage Highway and Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Highway; the Second Niger Bridge is given attention and rail transport has been revived in every corner of the country.
“We are also witnessing such advances in road contractions in other parts of the country, even up North. What is happening and made real by President Tinubu’s administration has been copied and stepped down by various state governors as they have increased the tempo of road infrastructure construction and provision in their states.”
Nwoye, also said that the students’ loan scheme remained “a great classic initiative”. The APC chieftain said that this initiative would be one thing President Tinubu would be remembered for in the next 100 years. According to him, this is just as we remember the Great Awolowo for free education in the South-West.
“For us that studied abroad; funding or money was never an impediment for one going or not going to school, as you can get a study grant or student free-interest educational loan to fully fund your education without any limit. This is one initiative that will act as a social leveller and make children from indigent families achieve their full potential as well as them having a sense of belonging to being Nigerians,” he said.
