Former Abia State Governor and senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has expressed deep concern over the economic hardship Nigerians are facing due to President Bola Tinubu’s policies.
Speaking at a press briefing at the National Assembly on Tuesday, Kalu called on the president to take immediate steps to relieve the suffering of the people.
Kalu acknowledged that while the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Tinubu was a bold and necessary decision, it has caused significant economic strain on citizens. He urged the government to quickly implement measures to manage the impact and provide relief to Nigerians struggling with the rising cost of living.
“The hardship is real; people are suffering. In my company, where we manage about 10,000 workers, ensuring they get paid in these difficult times has become a major challenge,” Kalu said.
The senator noted that the current economic situation has forced his business to adopt cost-saving measures. He explained that even maintaining his private plane has become prohibitively expensive, costing between $10,000 and $20,000 for fuel and maintenance. As a result, senior company members have been asked to fly commercially to save money and ensure that the business can continue to support its employees across Nigeria and West Africa.
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“We have to make sure that everyone can afford to eat during this time of hardship,” Kalu added, highlighting the urgent need for solutions.
While praising the president for his strong political will in pushing through much-needed economic reforms, Kalu stressed that these changes should not come at the expense of the people’s well-being. According to him, no other leader in the past sixty years has had the courage to implement these types of reforms, but the current administration must act quickly to address the growing economic challenges.
“President Tinubu has taken steps no president in the last 60 years has dared to take, but immediate action is needed to ease the suffering of Nigerians,” Kalu emphasized. “He has to act today, not tomorrow, because the situation is dire, and no president elected by the people would want his citizens to suffer.”
Kalu also suggested that the president might consider reintroducing the fuel subsidy to alleviate the financial burden on Nigerians. Although he admitted he had not directly discussed this with the president or his economic team, Kalu urged them to carefully review the situation and consider whether the subsidy should be reinstated.
Orji Uzor Kalu, who joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in November 2016, recently won re-election as senator for Abia North during the 2023 general elections. Despite his loyalty to the APC, Kalu’s public call for immediate action highlights the urgency of addressing the economic hardship faced by Nigerians under the current administration’s policies.
