By Uche Amunike
The Federal Government has scheduled an emergency meeting to be held today (Wednesday), concerning the upcoming nationwide planned protests in Nigeria, which is slated for August 1, 2024.
This became expedient after President Bola Tinubu appealed to the organizers of the protests to shelve it and give his administration extra time to execute people-oriented programs.
According to a circular which was released to Newsmen on Tuesday and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Richard Pheelangwah, dated July 23, 2024 and titled ‘Planned, Nationwide Protest’, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, the Special Advisers to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, were among those invited for the meeting.
It partly read: ‘I am directed to invite you to attend a meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the above subject slated as follows: July 24, 2024, Time: 10 am prompt, Venue: Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Conference Room.’
‘Attendance is mandatory. Please, accept the warm regards of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.’
The reason for the meeting is to address the clamor for the planned protests, which will commence August 1, to condemn the rising cost of living and economic hardship, generally being faced by Nigerians, a situation which has been blamed on the removal of fuel subsidy, the devaluation of the Naira and other stringent economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.
The planned protest in Nigeria was inspired by the recent Kenya protests, which has made waves on social media where it is trending under the hashtags ’EndBadGovernance’, ‘TinubuMustGo’ and ‘Revolution2024’.
The federal government and the police authorities have, however, advised the youths to shelve the plan, describing it as ill-advised.
Speaking, Tuesday, during an interview with State House correspondents, after a meeting with Tinubu,, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the plea made by the president to Nigerians.
His words: ‘On the issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that. He asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas.’
‘So, there is no need for a strike. The young people out there should listen to the President and allow the President more time to see to the realization of all the goodies he has for them.’
He stated that the president was committed to ensuring a better future for Nigerians, and as such, took the grievances of the protesters seriously. He also mentioned the quick passage of the National Minimum Wage Bill by the National Assembly and its recent approval, as well as the delivery of grains to state governments as a way of showing how committed the president was to the welfare of Nigerians.
He further made this plea: ‘We also discussed the issue of the country generally and Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.’
‘For example, you saw that the Federal Government approve grains and rice for state governments, it was delivered to them expeditiously also.’
‘Like I said the other time, it is just the necessary first step; the government is going to continue in that direction, supporting them and ensuring that whatever interventions the Federal Government has put in place go to those that should benefit. It is very important that is being put out.’
He continued: ‘The Federal Government is looking at strategies that every intervention would go directly to those who benefit from those interventions, not middlemen intervening along the way.’
He also stated that President Tinubu was committed towards the newly launched Student Loan Board, which aimed at ensuring that every eligible student had access to education.
Hear him: ‘It is no longer a time for all of us to stay back and see our young able-bodied men and women that have passed the examinations to go to tertiary institutions that have not been able to do that because their parents are not able to pay for their fees.’
