Ahead of the nationwide protest scheduled to start Thursday, August 1, the Nigerian government has yet again called for restraint, urging citizens to forgo the planned demonstrations and grant the administration more time to implement necessary reforms.
During a ministerial press conference in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, addressed concerns surrounding the protest.
Speaking against a backdrop that read “Opposition elements are trying to destroy our country just like they did to Lagos during ENDSARS,” he outlined various policies and decisions made by President Tinubu over the past year.
Idris highlighted several key achievements of the administration, including the recently enacted minimum wage increase. The new law sets the minimum wage at N70,000, up from the initial plan of N68,000, a change Idris attributed to President Tinubu’s foresight.
He also pointed to the Local Government Autonomy ruling by the Supreme Court as a significant step towards decentralisaing power.
Additionally, Idris reported that 14,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains had been distributed from the strategic grains reserve to states across the country, targeting the poor and vulnerable populations.
On his part, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume urged citizens to prioritse peace and collaboration over protests. noting that while the sacrifices of today are essential for a better tomorrow, the current economic hardship is temporary and will soon give way to greater prosperity.
“Nothing good comes easy and the sacrifices of today are for a better tomorrow.as for ongoing economic hardship, i believe that very soon we shall all enjoy endless prosperity. We therefore appeal to Nigeria to shun calls for protests against hunger by prioritising peace and progress.”
He noted that the President Bola Tinubu acknowledges the right to peaceful protest, stressing the importance of exercising circumspection.
The SGF also expressed concern about the risks associated with protests, citing the potential for demonstrations to be hijacked by bandits and criminals, as was seen during the ENDSARS protests.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the government of president Bola Tinubu recognises the right to peaceful protest circumspection should be our watchword.
In support of the government’s appeal, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, also echoed a call for patience.
Edun emphasised the importance of unity and understanding, urging Nigerians to give President Tinubu the opportunity to guide the nation toward a brighter future.
“What the president is saying now is that we need to give ourselves this golden opportunity to take Nigeria forward,” Edun stated. “We need to be patient with each other, and we need to listen to each other as he is listening to Nigerians in his efforts to lead us into a better future.”
Chioma Kalu
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