The National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shettima, has called on President Bola Tinubu to reconsider and revise economic policies that have failed to inspire hope among Nigerians.
In a recent interview with The Sun, Shettima urged the Tinubu administration to demonstrate greater empathy towards the challenges faced by Nigerians, emphasizing the need for policies that would alleviate their suffering. He stressed that leaders must introduce measures that offer real, tangible relief to the population.
“There is nothing wrong with discarding policies that fail to provide hope,” Shettima remarked. “The government needs to implement policies that will enable Nigerians to breathe again, to have a sense of security and optimism for the future.”
Shettima further explained that just because an economic policy has been successful in other countries does not guarantee it will work in Nigeria’s unique context. He highlighted the importance of the government being particularly sensitive to the nation’s specific needs and circumstances when adopting foreign policy models.
“Nigeria is a country blessed with abundant resources, and there is no reason why its people should be enduring such hardship,” Shettima said. “If the government pays closer attention to the needs of the people, things can improve. Nigerians are facing hunger, insecurity, and many are frustrated by the lack of visible progress. While it may be too soon for a comprehensive evaluation of this government, it is still possible to create a better situation than what the country is currently experiencing.”
He acknowledged that the time frame for assessing the administration might still be too brief, but he remained hopeful that positive changes could still be made. Shettima emphasized that the responsibility lies with the government to raise the bar of leadership and inspire hope among the citizens.
On the issue of the current economic difficulties, Shettima attributed much of the blame to the previous administration under President Muhammadu Buhari. He stated that it would take considerable time and effort to undo the damage caused by the past government.
“The reality is that the damage done by the Buhari administration cannot be corrected overnight, as many Nigerians might expect,” Shettima explained. “It will take more than a single term to reverse the consequences of those years. However, Nigerians should begin to see signs of conscious relief and improvement. The government must introduce policies that instill hope and gradually alleviate the burdens on the people.”
