Berates Banks, Network service providers others over neglect of poor customers
Oluseyi Dasilva
The Oodua People’s Congress, OPC New Era has made a call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to review and explain its manner of defining what it called poorest of the poor masses in Nigeria.
Comrade Bayo Fabiyi, the kwara State coordinator of the congress while speaking with our correspondent in Ilorin on Wednesday said that the federal government is not logical in its definition of the poorest of the poor among the masses of Nigeria are going by the lopsidedness in the way the palliative measures were been managed.
“The government said that they are using the Trader Money networks, which to me is like giving another loan to the people who are not doing business by the stay home order, yet expected to pay the money borowed. Aside of that, is it only those who enjoyed the trader money that are tagged poor and should enjoy the palliatives? What about others who are not traders but also poor?
He advised that the federal government should be more transparent in the way it deals with issues relating to the poor because the efforts to reach out to them might be counterproductive in view of the fact that there is usually no follow up mechanism to checkmate operators of the policies.
Fabiyi also berated the various banks that donate to federal government calling them hypocrites haven reaped from the so called masses of Nigeria through bank charges but donate such funds to federal government.
He expressed the opinion that for banks to establish mutually beneficial relationship, it is a time like these that they should reach out to their various low level customers, whom they have managed over the years and extend palliatives instead of giving to government just to curry tax wise sympathy.
The National Treasurer of OPC New Era also accused the various network service providers of been fair weather friends adding that lowering their tariffs or making it free will make people talk more staying at home than having to go out as against the stay home order.
He said that a friend in need is always a friend indeed as its often said advising those doing business with the poor to know that periods like this was not anticipated and may ever again be experienced in a life time.
Bayo Fabiyi said that the COVID 19 induced lock down on Offa is a measure done at half measure because since the announcement of lock down time, many people have ran out of Offa making it an effort in futility.
He suggested that adding Ilorin, the base of the deceased COVID suspect would have made the effort to track contacts an easy one adding that the effort so far will only increase panic since awareness is low.
He commended Kwara State government for its pioneering efforts in preparing grounds for eventualities but however advised that isolation centers should have spread round kwara instead of concentrating all the facilities in Ilorin alone.
He advised both the Federal government , state and other levels not to forget issues of tax relief and other financial measures as part of efforts that can make real palliatives torches down to the masses and impact on their lives effectively.
