By John Alechenu, Abuja
Former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Peter Ameh, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of worsening poverty in Nigeria, saying its economic policies have pushed many middle-class households into financial hardship.
Ameh was reacting to a United Nations report which reportedly found that 17.9 million Nigerians had fallen into multidimensional poverty over the past three years, a surge he described as evidence of the impact of the government’s economic policies.
He spoke with Vanguard in Abuja on Sunday.
According to Ameh, multidimensional poverty goes beyond inadequate income to include deprivation in healthcare, education, housing, access to clean water and other basic living standards.
“This is a case of a poorly conceived vision backed by poorly implemented, anti-people policies. This government has failed woefully to deliver on any of the promises it made to Nigerians,” he said.
Ameh said the reported figures reflected the economic difficulties faced by many Nigerians, citing fuel subsidy removal without adequate relief measures, inflation, naira depreciation and the rising cost of living.
He argued that these factors had eroded household savings and put pressure on small businesses.
“Under the Tinubu government, almost the entire middle class has been turned into old takers and beggars. People who were once self-sufficient can no longer afford school fees, hospital bills or even two decent meals a day,” he said.
Ameh warned that multidimensional poverty could have far-reaching consequences because it limits people’s access to essential services, undermines their dignity and reduces opportunities for the future.
He urged the Federal Government to review its economic reforms and introduce measures aimed at creating jobs, stabilising prices and protecting vulnerable households.
Ameh warned that failure to address the trend could leave more Nigerians trapped in persistent poverty.
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