Strategic Solutions over Panicky Measures: Navigating Challenges with Calmness and Pragmatism

Each time we have problems in this country, we tend to believe in populistic and whitewashed interventions to attract accolades from pauperized minds. For example, people experiencing poverty constantly hail the government for sealing supermarkets and gas stations because they believe the gesture will improve food and fuel supplies.

My experience has shown that such panicky steps worsen the situation and drive investments underground. For example, a trader cannot buy rice at N60,000 from a wholesaler, and the government expects the trader to sell that rice at that same price without considering my transportation cost, loading, and offloading expenses.

To stem the tide of profiteering, the government should act before the goods leave the producers or manufacturers for the open market. For fuel, the place to start is the depots, not the gas station. For other goods, tackle the producers and the wholesalers before they get to retailers.

Some of the panicky steps of governors on the food crisis will soon snowball into reciprocity and vengeance missions. When some governors close their borders to food inflow to other states, they should realize that different states could also block their borders to disallow the products being produced in their states to cross their borders.

Times are challenging, no doubt. But leaders must not be reactive and panicky, as I have noticed. It is a time to be calm, brainstorm, and methodically find a middle-of-the-road option that would give a win-win outcome to all.

Grace and peace!!!