Osun govt, FG not doing enough to alleviate poverty — Group

A civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has accused the Osun State Government of not doing anything to make life easier for residents of the state.

The group made the allegation during its October State of the State press conference by its Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli in Osogbo on Thursday.

He accused the Osun State Government of constructing flyovers and arguing over inanities rather than pursuing accelerated human development policies.

Maintaining that TOM had spoken out extensively about the biting hardship in the country in the past, Prof Oyedokun-Alli lamented that there is no respite in sight as fuel price and the cost of living continued to rise thereby leaving the people wallowing in poverty.

He called on the federal and state governments to intensify efforts to free the masses from the shackles of poverty.

In his words, “We have spoken extensively about the biting hardship in Nigeria in the past, but it seems there is no respite in sight.

“As fuel price continues to increase, the cost of living is rising and people are left wallowing in poverty.

“It is deeply disturbing that while the Federal Government is not doing much to alleviate the suffering of the people, the State Governments who are now earning increased Federal allocations, are also not doing anything to make life easier for their people.

“In Osun here, instead of pursuing accelerated human development policies, we are busy constructing flyovers, and arguing over inanities.

“The people of Nigeria and Osun deserve to have a better life than the current hardship that they are battling. Our people deserve to be happy and live in a society where their dreams and aspirations are allowed to thrive.

“We are again calling on the Federal Government and the Osun State Government more importantly, to as a matter of urgency, intensify efforts to free the masses from the shackles of poverty. We must work quickly on eradicating hunger and creating opportunities for our people to make legitimate living.”

On the high cost of governance, the group also accused the Federal Government and politicians in the corridors of power of not showing enough care for the country’s citizenry.

He said, “We are awed at the cost of Governance in Nigeria at the moment and the seeming uncare attitude of people in the corridor of power.

“We appeal to every public office holder to become empathic with the people by cutting off unnecessary expenses often characterised by needless and avoidable travels particularly in the offices of the President, Vice president and the governors of the states.

“Cutting down on the numbers of official vehicles isn’t the only way by which the cost of Governance can be brought down.

“The political class can’t be feeding fat at the expense of the hunger of the people,” Oyedokun-Alli concluded.