More than a month after President Bola Tinubu announced in a nationwide broadcast that he had approved immediate implementation of a zero per cent Customs Duty Rate and zero per cent Value Added Tax, VAT, charges on food imports, the Federal Ministry of Finance and Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, are yet to bring the policy into effect.

Apparently, the policy is still deeply mired in red tape. The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs, Bashir Adewale, told newsmen in a meeting of heads of security agencies and Service Chiefs convened by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, that the Finance Ministry was still working out its details.

Adewale’s call on Nigerians to exercise patience, and his assertion that “a lot is going on to address these issues” are not acceptable. There is no earthly reason that such an emergency measure that will last for only five months should not be in effect, more than two months the president decreed it.

Any serious and proactive administration would compel officials to sleep in their offices, if necessary, to cut through the red tape and bring the needed food relief into the system. Some are already accusing administration officials of deliberately applying slow motion because of government’s frantic revenue drive.

People occupying posh and privileged public offices are often insulated from the realities of the world out there. But the situation in Nigeria today is so harsh that only those hardened by the arrogance of public office privileges will fail to be moved by the hunger, poverty and misery into which this regime’s draconian policies have plunged Nigerians.

Following the continuous rise in the cost of fuels, food prices and inflation have continued to rise beyond the carrying capacity of even above-average citizens. The president’s promise of making rice available at the subsidised price of N40,000 per 50kg is not visible. Many Nigerians have since been moved to the fringes of depression.

If care is not taken, the recent #EndBadGovernance protests for which participants are being tried for treason, could be a child’s play, more so as another round of protest is being mooted for October.

Intimidation and persecution of protesters and activists, and lacklustre policy responses are not portraying the Tinubu government in positive light. They are projecting a body language that citizens can go to hell.

The Federal Ministry of Finance is under the commands of those seen to be Tinubu’s inner circle officials. The ministry should work harder to improve the image of the president and his government.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun and Customs C-G, Wale Adeniyi, should justify the recent high rating of the Service in the Presidential Enabling Doing Business, PEBEC, by fast-tracking the zero duty policy to fight hunger.

To whom much is given, much is expected.