The #EndSARS protests have continued nationwide despite the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police because of the citizens’ lack of trust in government, it has been observed.
This observation was made by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) during the public presentation of its survey on the Leadership Approval Rating: Citizens’ Perception of Leadership and Governance in Nigeria.
Chairman of HEDA, Olanrewaju Suraju, at the presentation in Lagos explained that the research was to examine the level of response of the Federal Government to the COVID-19 pandemic in particular and citizens’ demands in general.
“It was conducted to also measure the trust of citizens in the government and measure values’ credibility currency of government with the citizens,” he said.
Suraju however noted that the unfolding public protest against police brutality under the #EndSARS campaign has “practically demonstrated and confirmed a critical finding of this research, citizens’ lack of trust in government.”
“Only 17 per cent of respondents assess the Federal Government has either fairly well or very well handled the coronavirus pandemic.
“The refusal of protesters to return home and abandoned the protests which fairly gaining momentum across the country in such an unprecedented manner despite the assurances of government’s commitment to their demands and the disbandment of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, is a resounding testimony to lack of trust in government or promises of government,” he said.
Foremost socio-economic data and information analyst, Babajide Ogunsanwo who spoke to the survey said the current happenings in the polity especially the protest against police brutality were as a result of government’s failure to measure its approval rating.
He said 60 years after independence, successive governments have not been measuring their approval rating.
According to him, the frustration rate across the country is over 100 per cent at an all-time high. He said unemployment and underemployment which the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) put at 55.3 per cent has further fueled the frustration among the youths thereby contributing to the protest.
“As long as we don’t take the measurement of approval rating seriously, we will not achieve anything as a country,” Ogunsanwo added.
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