OCSC calls on FG to provide lasting solution to economic hardship, protest

By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo

Osun Civil Societies Coalition, (OCSC) on Thursday called on the federal government of Nigeria to provide a lasting solution to the current economic hardship and high cost of living.

The Coalition made the call while staging a peaceful protest in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

According to the coalition, Nigeria as a country is becoming difficult to live in day by day due to increment of goods and services since the inception Tinubu led administration.

The protesters who converged at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in the morning demonstrated peacefully through Old Garage, MDS and later terminated the possession at the popular Olaiya under bridge, Osogbo.

Speaking, the Chairman of the group, Comrade Waheed Lawal said they staged the peaceful protest to express their displeasure over the economic hardship in the country which he said, has caused more hunger in the land.

Lawal hinted that the Thursday’s protest was majorly organised to sensitise the residents about the mother of protest billed to hold on Monday nationwide.

He lamented that the country is now difficult for the citizenry to live in.

He said, “We are having a national protest starting from Monday, they want us to call it off but we said no, we must allow people to know what is going on in Nigeria today is not palatable to us.

“We are using today’s protest as an awareness for what is coming up on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.”

However, the Director of Ola Oni for Socio Research, Comrade Wale Adebisi berated the federal government over the failure to have a sustainable plan following the subsidy removal and float naira.

Adebisi condemned the government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu for exposing Nigerians to poverty, hunger, and hopelessness.

He expressed concern over spate of insecurity in Nigeria, saying the kidnapping in the country is unabated with payment of ransom.

He said, “The purpose of this protest is to let the residents know that Nigeria is passing through a hard time, a hard period as a result of lack of economic planning from the government.

“And about the security situation of Nigeria, kidnapping is going on unabated with payment of ransom, and paying the ransom does not guarantee you to leave the kidnapper’s den alive, you could still still be killed.

“You float naira and at the same time you remove subsidy without any planning for palliative. There is no social intervention, no social empowerment and you just allow people to be exposed to poverty, hunger, and hopelessness.

“Defenselessness, the salary is not increasing while the price of goods and services are going up. How do you meet up?

“That is why the hardship is too much and we have to let the whole world know that Nigerians are not comfortable. Nigerians want to breathe,” he added.