With the New Year unfolding, the people of Ondo State expressed concern on Wednesday about what shape 2025 will take, considering the hardships faced in the past 2024.

According to some of the residents of the state, the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu hurt their socio-economic well-being.

The economic atmosphere of the country took a sharp downturn in 2024, with inflation surging and the cost of living soaring, leaving many grappling with financial challenges.

Most impacted by the inflation were food items, transportation, and healthcare, among others, as some Nigerians could hardly afford them with out-of-pocket payments.

While harping on policies with a human face, a trader at Odopetu market in Akure, the state capital, Gift Adeniyi, stated: “We understand that changes are necessary, but they should be done with a human face.

“We are suffering, and any new policies should consider the realities we face daily, particularly us who survive on daily income.”

Another resident of the state, Lekan Adubiaro, who is a civil servant, lamented that urgent measures must be taken against the rising costs of living in the country.

“Hope is fading, and without tangible support, many will lose faith in the government. I can’t lie; there is hunger in the land, and many are at the moment in a state of confusion,” he said.

However, Tinubu had assured Nigerians that the policies will, in the year 2025, begin to yield the desired results.

Our expectations from Tinubu in 2025 — Ondo residents