The forum lamented that “the times continue to be tough and
challenging for the average citizen who is daily confronted with runaway
inflation, unemployment, rapid deterioration in standards of living in the face
of incidents of insurgency, terrorism, banditry, etc”.
“The immediate causes of the problems have been policies put
in place by the government over the past months, including but not limited to
the removal of subsidies from the prices of petroleum products, the floating of
the naira, an astronomical hike in the cost of poorly supplied electricity, and
increasing tariffs and taxes against the seemingly insensitive profligacy in
spending by public officials, to name a few,” the communiqué signed by Tukur
Muhammad-Baba, spokesperson of the forum, reads.
“ACF is equally worried about the widening regional
disparities in social demographic factors, such as access to education, public
health, infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, living
conditions, etc.”
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The forum asked the government to curb disparities in the
country to ensure that “Nigeria does not become two-states-in-one”.
“Factors that unify rather than divide citizens along any
lines should attract the attention of all concerned, government and citizens
alike.
“As it has severally reiterated in recent public outings,
ACF calls for urgent action and definitive attention by the government at all
levels to confront the rapid decline in the living conditions of citizens.
“The addition of new taxes and levies becoming increasingly
burdensome is too heavy to bear for ordinary Nigerians.
“The need for a
rollout of public policy programmes and projects aimed at addressing low
purchasing power challenges is clearly indicated.
“ACF calls on citizens to rally around the government and
offer prayers for God Almighty’s intervention in our various tribulations,
which will translate into a new, prosperous Nigeria where justice, equity,
love, righteousness, and hope emerge to replace the current despair and
hopelessness.”
The ACF added that government officials should shun the
reckless spending of public funds.
