In a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Professor Usman Yusuf, a prominent member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has lambasted the Renewed Hope Agenda, labeling it as a source of increased hopelessness for Nigerians.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, which was monitored by DAILY POST, Yusuf expressed his disappointment, stating that the Tinubu-led federal government has failed to instill any sense of hope among the Nigerian populace over the past year.
“People have lost hope. It pains me to see our people lining up to collect cups of palliatives. Renewed Hope has turned into hopelessness. People have lost hope,” Yusuf remarked.
He further criticized the administration’s performance over the last year, describing it as one marked by “deception, destitution, and hopelessness.” According to Yusuf, the government’s policies have exacerbated poverty and pushed millions of children out of school due to their parents’ inability to pay fees.
“From next week, they will start telling us their propaganda. What have they done to benefit the ordinary people? In a span of one year, they have brought millions of people back into multidimensional poverty, they have pushed millions more children out of school because their parents cannot pay their school fees,” Yusuf asserted.
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Yusuf also took aim at the President’s economic management team, describing them as “tax collectors” rather than “economists.”
“The economic team, to me, looks more like tax collectors than economists. Taxation does not grow the economy; only production does,” he said.
President Tinubu, who campaigned on the promise of ‘Renewed Hope,’ was sworn in on May 29, 2023, following a highly contentious election in February 2023. The election was plagued by violence and irregularities, leading many to question the legitimacy of his victory, with allegations of electoral malpractice and judicial corruption.
Since taking office, Tinubu’s administration has implemented several reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange windows. However, these measures have led to a significant decline in the purchasing power of Nigerians, exacerbating economic hardship for many.
As the one-year anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration approaches, it remains unclear what tangible achievements can be presented to the Nigerian people.
Source: Daily Post