Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has said that there is hardship in Nigeria, describing it as a global trend.
Shehu disclosed this on Monday on Channels TV’s Politics Today while responding to questions on the recent comment Buhari made on the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the security challenge bedeviling many parts of the country, as well as the ongoing queues in several filling stations across the the country.
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He said that despite the circumstances the government had found itself, including the effects of COVID-19 lockdown and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which have weakened the world economy, the Buhari-led administration had made giant strides to better the lives of Nigerians.
He said, “He has solved such problems substantially. Look at one of the things that have happened. the real epicenter of such crisis is the North East; and the South South where even the mining for oil which is the backbone of the economy had become almost impossible.
“Again calm has been restored to the South South; more challenges have arisen. All of these things you have mentioned we don’t denied that there is hardship in the country so also is difficulty in all part of the world.
“In many cases this is expected; leaders across the globe are being lashed at by their publics. All theses have arisen from lockdown of COVID-19. Most of this petroleum we’re consuming is brought from outside.
“So all of these thing are impacted upon by the war in Ukraine who supplies it, but thank God with massive agricultural vision of the president we eat what we grow and grow what we eat.”
Speaking on the recent comment the president made on ASUU, Shehu said Buhari has the right to appeal on behalf of Nigerians.
He said, “The president has the right to appeal on behalf of Nigerians. This is sixth months of the ongoing strike. Is there any right for one to insist on taking 100 per cent of the grievances they have? This was a 2009 agreement signed by the then government.”
Shehu noted that there are other areas in need of similar attention, saying the problem had been passed from one government to another.
He added, “Why is Buhari being held by the neck? What happened in the past? Why didn’t they strangle the past administrations on these matters?”
