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| President Bola Ahmed Tinubu |
Bashir Dauda, the director of research and documentation for the Nigeria First Project Initiative, believes President Bola Tinubu is committed to making Nigeria great.
He urged Nigerians to continue to back his policies and give him the benefit of the doubt.
Mr Dauda stated this during a Friday interview in Katsina.
According to him, Mr Tinubu has consistently delivered on his promises to Nigerians by implementing policies consistent with his 'Renewed Hope Agenda'.
Mr Dauda stated, "I am urging citizens to give Mr President the benefit of the doubt by supporting his good policies and persevering through the current economic hardship. The president has just completed one year in office and has three more years to work for the betterment of the country and its people.
"It is not fair to say that Nigerians have been overly patient because some of these policies will produce results after a few years. Most developed countries in Europe have gone through difficult and trying times similar to what Nigeria is currently experiencing. They are now enjoying the sacrifices of their great-grandparents."
He also urged Nigerians to hold their governors accountable for developing their communities and improving their well-being.
"State governments were established to supplement the federal government." So, if things work well, citizens' lives will improve," he said.
Mr Dauda explained that the Tinubu administration has had some successes in the security sector, claiming that over 9,000 high-profile criminals were apprehended in a single year. During the time period under review, he claims that over 6,000 terrorists were apprehended and over 4,000 hostages were rescued.
Regarding education, he stated that the government implemented a student loan scheme to assist students from low-income families in continuing their education. He stated that this was in addition to the establishment and upgrading of some tertiary institutions, as well as the construction of a number of classrooms for Tsangaya Qur'anic schools.
Meanwhile, some Katsina residents interviewed expressed economic hardship.
Sani Abdullahi, a commercial vehicle driver, urged the government to take additional steps to combat the country's rising inflation.
He said, "It's unfortunate that if you buy a commodity in the market today, you'll find out tomorrow that its price has risen. The government should do something about it. Our concerns are poverty and inflation, which are biting harder."
Kabir Ahmed, a labourer, explained that people like him faced difficulties, especially in rural areas. He urged the government to ensure that people in rural areas receive palliative measures to help alleviate poverty.
Musa Garba, a vulcaniser, lamented that poverty and inflation make it difficult for people like him to eat three square meals per day.
He urged the government to prioritise further alleviating the suffering of the people.
Mr Garba also advised the government to provide farmers with subsidies for fertilisers and other inputs in order to increase agricultural productivity and food security.
(NAN)