The former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has decried the growing hardship bedevilling Nigerians across the country.
Amaechi while speaking on Tuesday, January 28, at a two-day event on strengthening Nigeria’s democracy said the middle class has been completely eliminated in Nigeria.
He also stated that the last time Nigeria had the middle-class strata was during the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
Lamenting the growing gap between the poor and rich, the former minister described the situation as a critical challenge for the nation.
He said, “The last time we had the middle class was under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He created an economy that generated jobs.
“Even though some argued it was a shaky middle class that disappeared at the end of every month when salaries were paid, at least we had a middle class,” he said.
Continuing, Amaechi said in Nigeria currently, it is either your are poor or you are rich as there is no in-between.
“Now, it’s either you are rich or you are poor. If social housing and investments in agriculture had been implemented alongside subsidy removal, people would not feel the impact as harshly as they do now,” Amaechi stated.
He further urged the present administration to use funds save from subsidy removal ro focus on initiatives and projects that call improve the lives of citizens.
