Abuja — The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has criticised President Bola Tinubu's recent comments, in which he urged Nigerians to be patient with the country's current economic challenges, stating that there is "no free beer parlour" anymore.
The president reportedly made this statement during a visit by former Nigerian lawmakers to the State House, Abuja, where he underscored the need for hard work and resilience in overcoming the nation's economic woes.
However, HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, dismissed the president's remarks as hypocritical, pointing out that the same government that preached sacrifice and austerity continued to spend billions on feeding and entertaining the families of the president and vice-president in Aso Rock, while also enabling unconstitutional expenditures for the first lady's extravagant foreign trips.
According to HURIWA, "This dichotomy between words and actions exemplifies the disconnect between the leadership and the everyday struggles of millions of Nigerians grappling with inflation and economic hardship."
While President Tinubu emphasised the importance of working hard and being patient to rebuild the nation, HURIWA highlighted that the federal budget allocated billions of naira annually to feed and maintain the president and vice-president's families at taxpayers' expense.
The rights group frowned that this free provision of meals, housing, and entertainment contradicted the president's assertion that there was no "free beer parlour," as it indicated that the leaders themselves benefitted from a system that provided for their needs without personal financial contribution.
"Research has revealed that in the 2023 budget, significant sums were allocated for feeding in the Presidential Villa. The Presidency's budget for foodstuffs, catering materials, and refreshments ran into billions, alongside substantial allocations for vehicles and other expenditures for the personal comfort of the President's family," it said.
HURIWA argued that if the government was truly serious about austerity, these funds should be cut, and the president and vice-president's families should pay for their own meals and other personal expenses, just as most Nigerian workers do.
