The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a pan-northern socio-political organization, has expressed grave concern over the worsening economic conditions and security challenges facing Nigeria.
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council meeting, the ACF warned that the country is drifting into chaos due to the fuel subsidy removal, introduction of taxes and levies, and reckless spending by government officials.
The organization listed inflation, unemployment, and rapid deterioration in living standards, coupled with incidents of insurgency, terrorism, and banditry, as some of the challenges faced by Nigerians. It called for urgent action by governments at all levels to address the rapid decline in living conditions and widening regional disparities in social demographic factors.
The ACF also cautioned government officials against recklessness in spending public funds and urged citizens to rally around the government in prayers for divine intervention to address the economic hardship. The organization acknowledged the efforts of the federal, state, and local governments to tackle the problems but noted that the public policy response remains weak and ineffective.
The communiqué emphasized the need for a rollout of public policy programs and projects aimed at addressing low purchasing power challenges and called for factors that unify rather than divide citizens to be prioritized. The ACF urged Nigerians to pray for God’s intervention to transform the country into a prosperous nation where justice, equity, love, righteousness, and hope would replace the current despair and hopelessness.