The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, said the ongoing nationwide protests in the country is a result of some of the policies of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration. The governor went on to list some of the policies his administration has championed to reduce the effects of the federal government’s policies on the citizens. Obaseki, in a statement on Sunday, said his government had implemented several people-oriented programmes to reduce the suffering of Edo people in the wake of the difficult living conditions which the people have had to endure, arising from various policies that had been implemented by the Federal Government.
He listed some of the programmes to ameliorate the sufferings of the people to include raising the minimum wage for workers to ₦70,000 to boost their purchasing power, introducing a free transport scheme along the routes operated by the Edo City Transport Service, extending free Wi-Fi services to public spaces to help citizens telecommute and kick-starting a state-wide feeding for the vulnerable implemented in partnership with Christians and Muslim institutions, among others.
Obaseki said, “The protest is obviously the result of the difficult living conditions which Nigerians have had to endure particularly over the last one year, arising from various policies that have been implemented by the Federal Government.
“These policies have taken a severe toll on citizens who have had to endure astronomic high food prices, high transportation costs, galloping inflation and loss of operating capital by small business owners across the country.
“In Edo State, we have taken several actions within our constitutional authority to reduce the suffering and hardship of our people by showing empathy and supporting our people to weather and survive this trying time despite the challenges witnessed across the nation.”
