The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the Federal Government’s proposed $1 billion social protection program as a reaction to its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s plan for a targeted production subsidy to ease the rising cost of living in the country.
The opposition party said the program came three years into the economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and as the country moved closer to the elections.
In its statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday, August 27, the ADC asked why the government did not provide similar support when Nigerians were grappling with food and transport prices and declining purchasing power.
“We find this sudden discovery of compassion, and money, quite remarkable,” the party said.
“Three years Nigerians have been crying under the weight of food prices, transport costs and collapsing purchasing power, while this government has insisted that there was no money to cushion the effects of its reforms. Now that elections are looming, it has suddenly found a billion dollars for the poor.”
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu unveiled the social protection program launched by the Federal Government.
The ADC argued that the initiative was a confession that the administration’s economic policies, including the removal of fuel subsidy, had aggravated hardship for millions of Nigerians.
The party said Atiku had already suggested a focused production subsidy as part of his plan to reduce the cost of living but government officials dismissed the idea of subsidies.
“This is exactly what our Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been saying proposing a targeted production subsidy to reduce the cost of living,” the ADC said.
“The government rejected that proposal and its officials told Nigerians that subsidy in any way was impossible. But almost immediately it announced a billion-dollar program to support Nigerians from the consequences of its evil policies.”
The party also challenged the management of previous social intervention funds by the administration, citing the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs’ statement that the government paid out over ₦600 billion in cash transfers to over 10 million households in the last three years.
What evidence is there of real beneficiaries and what measurable impact did that N600 billion have? the party queried.
“Has anyone ever checked whether these numbers are actually true?”
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The ADC further asked about the reported ₦40,000 “shock-response payment” for families, saying the timing and political purpose of the program should be examined.
A government whose so-called reform has destroyed purchasing power through higher food, fuel, transport and energy costs cannot now return with a one-off ₦40,000 per family which it cynically tagged ‘shock-response payment.’ Is this in fact a vote-buying program? One wonders.
The opposition party also sought clarification on the role of the First Lady in unveiling the program and urged the Federal Government to disclose the source of the $1 billion fund, the institution charged with its management and the process of approval behind it.
“One billion dollars is public business and public business requires transparency,” the party said.
“We support genuine efforts to assist vulnerable Nigerians, but the government should pursue policies that increase production, restore purchasing power and improve living conditions rather than relying on palliatives,” the ADC said.
“The real choice for Nigerians is becoming more and more obvious by the day: between a government that is happy to manage poverty and an alternative that is determined to restore purchasing power, production and dignity,” the statement continued.
The party said the new social protection program showed the government had finally recognized the need to protect citizens from the impact of its economic reforms.
“If the Tinubu administration has suddenly discovered that Nigerians need protection from the cost of its failed reforms, then perhaps the first thing it should do is admit that Atiku was right: reform without relief is not courage; it is cruelty,” the ADC added.
