Time is of the Essence, President Tinubu -By Chiechefulam Ikebuiro

The pace at which the Tinubu-led government is moving to implement key proposed policies has been slow. Painfully slow.

It seems the government is out of touch with the people’s frustrations. If they truly understood the public sentiment, they would recognize the growing impatience.

The time for endless talk is over; people need to see action. The delayed decision-making on critical facets will have dire consequences if care is not taken.

Take, for instance, the tax policy recommendations led by Taiwo Oyedele’s tax team. In October 2023, the committee came up with “20 recommendations for immediate reforms”-it’s been crickets since then!

This committee was established almost a year ago to deliver actionable recommendations that would simplify tax compliance, reduce tax burden on businesses and boost economic growth. Today nothing concrete has been gazetted. There have only been sporadic updates.  Despite the urgency and high expectations that surrounded this initiative, the progress has been sluggish.

What about the proposed new minimum wage? Has it fallen off the radar? Labour has expressed their frustrations, but now there’s silence. Is the government waiting for another strike, followed by more unproductive meetings? This cycle of strike-meeting-silence is becoming cliché.  This gives the perception that neither side prioritizes the well-being of workers

Then there’s the consumer credit scheme. It seems policies are proposed, then there’s a lot of talk, and then silence. Last we heard, it was approved, but what are the next steps? How many people have applied? When will people start accessing credit to improve their standard of living? The government’s lack of urgency is damning. They seem to think they have all the time in the world, but a year has already passed.

Consider agriculture as another example. The president declared a state of emergency on food shortages almost a year ago, yet there has been no coordinated response. There seems to be no concrete plans to improve food production or security. What is being done to reassess the food supply and distribution channels? What is the update on the touted commodity board to stabilize food prices? What are the plans to promote sustainable farming methods and enhance local farmers’ capabilities? The declared emergency seems to have lost its urgency. The emergency is no longer emergency-ing to borrow the street parlance.

How many ministers are even active in this government? The answer, unfortunately, reveals a stark reality: only a handful can be identified as consistently contributing to their mandates. There is a concerning trend of inefficiency and inaction by numerous ministers which undermines this government’s ability to deliver on its promises. It seems there are many loafers, and it’s time for the president to wield the big stick, lest widespread complacency erode public trust in this administration’s ability to govern efficiently.

The business of governance needs to commence in earnest. The honeymoon period is over, and Nigerians want visible actions.

President Tinubu needs to understand that the situation on the streets is dire, and time is running out. One year has passed, and all we’ve seen is huffing, puffing, bickering, and inaction.

It’s time to deliver on the promises that convinced some of us to vote for him based on his track record. No more cho cho cho……Action, please!

Chiechefulam Ikebuiro

chiechefulamikebuiro@gmail.com