By Babalola Seyi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on the Federal Government to rethink the cashless policy immediately in order to alleviate the unimaginable hardships that Nigerians are experiencing.
He also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider the naira redesign strategy before it taints his reputation for the remainder of his political career, claiming that the program has the potential to damage him.
Governor Ortom closed his thoughts Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting on the 2023 general election in Benue State organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The governor insisted that the policy, if not reversed had thrown Nigerians in pains and would ruin the administration of President Buhari, pointing that other countries have changed currency but there was a transition period.
In his words, “This is the worst policy that the President has brought at a time that he is about to leave office. Nigerians are suffering and some are dying.
“I have said it before and let me repeat it again. The people who are advising the President do not mean well for him. He will remain a pain in the neck of Nigerians if he doesn’t reverse this policy. This is not right. Our people are suffering, now you have money in the bank, you cannot spend it, go to the banks and see the queues.
“This policy will eliminate his name from being an honourable man of integrity. This policy will ruin him, because the man out there that I represent, the woman, the children are crying, they are feeling the pains.”
Governor Ortom decried the lawlessness of certain officials of government in the country, stating that if not checked it could lead to anarchy as “democracy is anchored on the rule of law.”
The governor charged well meaning Nigerians to rise up, emphasising that “Anarchy is looming in this country, a time will come that nobody will respect the Government. Nobody will respect the police, everybody will be on his own and that will be too dangerous and it will be late and there will be monumental losses that will come.”
