Former senate president, Ahmad Lawan, says there will be mass protest in the country if the three arms of government do not collaborate to reduce food prices and high electricity tariffs.
He made this remark whilst contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west.
Karimi’s motion was about the need to tackle “food insecurity”.
Lawan, whilst speaking, said Nigerians must not be taken for granted amidst worsening economic hardship.
“If we don’t take urgent actions on increased food prices and electricity tariffs, we will not like the actions we will see on the streets,” Lawan said.
“We cannot take the people for granted for too long.”
Earlier, Senator Karimi said that the price of foodstuffs have increased by over 300 percent, after the removal of subsidy on petrol.
“Insecurity in food-producing regions, bad roads, increase in the cost of transportation attributable to the removal of fuel subsidy and depreciation of the value of the naira, are possible factors that have contributed to the increase in prices of food items, household commodities,” he said.
“The greater percentage of the increase in prices of food items and consumables is not only due to these factors but to the zest of the merchants, traders, and retailers to make supernormal profits.”
The senate told the pertinent government ministries and agencies to address the problem.
Afterwards, the motion was adopted after it been put to a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.