Our Reporter, Abuja
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, on Thursday berated the Federal Government for failing to address the plight of contractors, pensioners, and other vulnerable groups despite announcing that it had already surpassed its revenue target for the year.
Obi’s remarks followed protests in Abuja on Wednesday by some government contractors who lamented non-payment for executed projects, a situation they said had left many unable to service bank loans or pay staff salaries.
In an X post on Thursday, Obi said government’s celebration of meeting its revenue target “means nothing” if the gains do not translate into tangible relief for Nigerians, especially those who have fulfilled their obligations to the state.
“Having met our revenue target for the year ahead of schedule, we should show sensitivity and compassion to the suffering masses by deploying resources to critical areas that will help create jobs and alleviate the people’s hardships,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor expressed concern that many critical economic players, including small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), were facing a severe cash crunch that has begun to cripple the sectors they support.
He also decried the continued protests by retired public servants, including military veterans, over unpaid gratuities and pensions.
“It is shameful that those who built this nation with their sweat, those who defended it with their lives, and those who have fulfilled their contractual obligations are reduced to begging for what is rightfully theirs, even after the government boasts of excess revenue,” Obi stated.
According to the leading opposition politician, the inability of the government to settle genuine obligations to contractors and retirees is worsening the cycle of debt and despair among ordinary citizens.
“Our nation must not continue to throw its citizens into debt and despair. It is time for our government to act responsibly and with integrity. Achieving revenue targets means nothing if it does not impact the lives of the people,” he stressed.
Obi therefore called on leaders to place citizens’ welfare above political rhetoric.
