Again, Nigerian govt begs youth to shelve planned protests

The Nigerian government has again appealed to the youth to shelve the planned protest, saying the demonstrations will only yield negativity.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, spoke at a press briefing on Wednesday. He acknowledged that Nigerians are facing challenges caused by some government policies. However, he said, the policies are necessary for Nigeria’s prosperity.

“Economic prosperity for the nation remains the ultimate goal of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because it is the engine that drives progress, lifts families from poverty, and builds strong, resilient societies,” Mr Akume said. “To achieve this goal, we must enjoy peace and stability because it is the cornerstone upon which we build trust, cooperation, and shared purpose.”

He said protests will not solve the country’s challenges and urged the youth to embrace dialogue and be patient with the president.

“Nigeria is a work in progress, and in due course, we shall breathe a sigh of relief. The ongoing economic hardships would abate very soon and we shall all enjoy endless prosperity,” he said.

“We therefore appeal to Nigerians of whatever persuasion, belief, demography, gender and status to shun calls for protest against hunger by prioritising peace and progress.”

Several cabinet ministers present at the press briefing also endorsed Mr Akume’s position. The ministers include Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, Minister of Solid Mineral and Development Dele Alake, and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu.

Planned Protests

Young Nigerians have planned a 10-day nationwide protest to demand an improvement in Nigeria’s economic situation and a reversal of some government policies, particularly the removal of petrol subsidies. The protests are expected to commence on Thursday.

President Tinubu has repeatedly called on the youth to shelve the protests

The protesters have, however, rebuffed appeals from the president. The young Nigerians, who have been mobilising on social media, have vowed to proceed with the protests on Thursday.

Demands

The protesters are calling for the reversal of the fuel price hike to below N300 per litre, the restoration of affordable electricity tariffs, and the reduction of import duties to their previous rates.

The groups also demand the reversal of the hike in tertiary education fees by many institutions.

The protesters are also demanding full transparency and accountability in governance, including the public disclosure and reduction of public officials’ salaries and allowances and an emergency fund to support SMEs.

They also call for electoral reforms, including the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), live electronic transmission of election results, and the reopening of national borders.

Some Nigerians have also called for restraint, as security agencies warn protesters not to go overboard and that they should prevent the protests from turning violent.

Ministers showcase achievements

In his remarks, Mr Idris urged the youth to listen to the voice of reason and give the government more time to implement its policies in the interest of Nigeria.

He said despite the challenges, the Tinubu administration has recorded several accomplishments.

According to the minister, the achievements include a N70,000 minimum wage, local government autonomy, interventions in the agriculture sector, and Social Safety Net intervention for states.

Other achievements outlined by Mr Idris include the student loan scheme, the unemployed graduates scheme, and the sale of crude oil to local refineries.

For his part, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, said the president is not afraid of protests but is concerned that they may turn violent.

Mr Edun said the president truly understands Nigerians’ concerns, particularly regarding the cost-of-living crisis. “But the president doesn’t want the protests to reverse the progress gained in the last year.”

He also said economic crises are not peculiar to Nigeria. “Inflation around the world is high and economies have not recovered from COVID-19, and now things have been exacerbated by the ongoing war in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.”

Mr Edun said despite these challenges, the president has turned the Nigerian economy around and various sectors are growing.

In his submission, Mr Bagudu said the country’s budget reflects its priorities. The Tinubu administration has increased budgetary allocations to security, health, social welfare, and agriculture, he said.

These allocations, according to Mr Bagudu, are to create an enabling environment for Nigerians to prosper.