Economic Hardship: FG Knocks PDP Governors Over ‘Road To Venezuela’ Comment

The Federal Government has slammed the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over their comment that the high cost of living in the country is almost tilting towards what is being experienced in Venezuela.

Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) in a communiqué on Monday, while speaking on the economic challenges in the country said, “we are almost on the road to Venezuela”.

Venezuela is ENGULFED(Link) in a political and economic crisis which has led to more than 7.5 million people leaving the country since 2015.

However, Minister of Information & National Orientation, Mohammed Idris in a press statement on Tuesday, said that though Nigeria is going through some rough patches, its situation is nowhere near what is happening in Venezuela.

“It is far-fetched when PDP governors, who are supposed to be major players in driving economic growth and prosperity for our citizens in their respective states, mischievously and falsely compare our current economic challenges to Venezuela.

“We want to state categorically that though our country is going through some rough patches, which are being addressed by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our situation is nowhere near what is happening in Venezuela,” he said.

The minister stressed that while opposition politicians are expected to play politics, it was unconscionable of PDP Governors to manipulate facts and misinform Nigerians about the country’s true state of affairs.

He maintained that Nigeria’s economy is still very strong and is expected to record a 3 per cent GDP growth this year, adding that the economy is meeting financial obligations to lenders at home and abroad.

“Since President Tinubu assumed office, the revenue available to the three tiers of government has more than doubled. All 36 States, including the 774 Local Governments, have been receiving significantly larger allocations on the back of the reforms being pursued by President Tinubu to reposition our national economy,” he said.

Idris urged Nigerians to ask PDP governors how far and how well they have utilised the increased revenue to better the lives of Nigerians in their respective states.

“It is on record that most states controlled by PDP owe workers and pensioners months of unpaid salary and pension arrears. The PDP Governors have defaulted in paying gratuities to their retired workers. It is also a fact that many of the PDP Governors have not paid N30,000 minimum wage to their workers since it took effect more than 4 years ago. All of these anomalies in their states contribute significantly to the economic pressure their citizens face.

“If PDP governors are genuinely interested in the living conditions of Nigerians and are not just stirring up disaffection and ill-will towards the federal government, we urge them to meet their obligations to workers, pensioners, and local contractors and see the multiplier effect.

“It is disappointing that PDP governors talk about rising costs of living and food when they have not done much to increase food production in their states. The land in Nigeria belongs to the states, not the federal government.

“PDP governors, in their communique yesterday, did not tell Nigerians how they are supporting farmers in their states to boost food production – a responsibility that is strictly within their purview. Instead, they shift all the blame to the federal government while shirking their own responsibilities to the people they govern,” he said.