Bala Mohammed challenge’s World Bank stand on Nigerian reforms, says it’s not working

Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed on Thursday confronted the World Bank over the latter’s claims that a reversal of the federal government’s current economic reforms would spell doom for the country, insisting that the reforms are not working.

World Bank Country Director Dr Ndiame Diop had, during the launch of the Nigerian Development Update (NDU) in Abuja, advised Nigerians not to oppose the current reforms.

Diop also said while the reforms might be challenging, they are crucial for the nation’s long-term stability.

However, Governor Bala Mohammed expressed a contrary view of the ongoing reforms, asking the Federal Government to review them since they were not working.

Asking the Federal Government not to be dogmatic about the issue, the governor disclosed that people are hungry and that people of his status face the threat of being lynched.

He said: “When the reforms started, the sub-nationals supported the President. The macro-economic policies causing inflation should be looked into. There is hunger. People are suffering. We should not be dogmatic. Nigerians are not enjoying the reforms.

“The Federal Government should come up with economic policies. The money we are receiving is not enough. What are you doing to reduce hunger? We should help the people to cope.

“The purchasing power has dwindled. If these policies are not working, review them. Let us not go into blackmail.

“What of power? The tariffs are too high. The people are not able to pay. We are on the brink of being lynched. These policies are not working. Let us review them.”