CSO Raise Questions Over Sustainability of FG’s Relief Programmes

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Community Advancement Initiative (CAI) has called on the Federal Government to demonstrate greater transparency, accountability and commitment to the welfare of Nigerians in the implementation of its economic relief and intervention programmes.

The national coordinator of CAI, Edoo Friday-Nekabari made the call while speaking to Kristina Reports on the Federal Government’s recent intervention programmes, including the proposed ₦70,000 support for civil servants to cushion the rising cost of transportation and the ₦50,000 cash grant for vulnerable Nigerians to mitigate the impact of rising food prices.

While commending the initiatives, Edoo raised some important questions about their timing, sustainability and long-term impact. He wondered why the government had to wait until a period close to the 2027 general elections before introducing interventions targeted at alleviating the economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians.

“While the two programmes are laudable, certain notable questions are raised, why should we wait till the time that is very close to election before remembering that millions of Nigerians are suffering?”

According to him, Nigerians have endured significant economic difficulties over the past three and a half years, making it necessary for the government to explain why such support was not consistently provided during the period. He also expressed concern over the sustainability of the programmes, asking whether they were intended as one-off interventions that would disappear after the elections, leaving citizens to return to their previous economic difficulties.

“The past three and half years, stayed without Nigerians being remembered. How sustainable will this programme be, is it going to be a one off thing which will disappear after elections and the people will go back to square one?”

The coordinator of Community Advancement Initiative further challenged the Federal Government to present concrete and measurable long-term strategies for addressing poverty, unemployment and inflation, stressing that Nigerians needed visible results rather than promises and policy statements. He equally expressed concern over the state of critical sectors of the economy, particularly healthcare, education and electricity, questioning why these sectors continued to face serious challenges despite the huge loans obtained by the Federal Government.

“What are the long term plans by the Federal Government to fight against poverty, unemployment, and inflation, not only on paper but real visible plans and things that we will see. Why is our healthcare system, education, power supply and other important sectors still in comatose despite the huge borrowing by the federal government?”

Friday-Nekabari also called for greater transparency regarding the country’s refineries, insisting that Nigerians deserved regular and clear information about their operations and the efforts being made to restore them, as they remained national assets belonging to all citizens. He wondered what hope Nigerians had of an improved future if the present economic challenges and the poor state of essential public services continued without clear and sustainable solutions.

“What hope do Nigerians have that things will improve in the nearest future? What is still happening to our refineries? We deserve to know because these refineries belong to all Nigerians.”

Edoo therefore appealed to the Federal Government to prioritise transparency and rebuild public trust through policies and programmes that genuinely address the needs of ordinary citizens. He maintained that empathy, compassion, love and the welfare of the people should remain central to the decisions and actions of every responsible government.

“I therefore plead that transparency and trust be built in government administration. Empathy, compassion, love, and welfare of citizens should guide the decisions of every reasonable and responsible government.”