August 1 Protest: Nigerian govt holds emergency meeting with Ministers

The Nigerian government has scheduled an emergency meeting on Wednesday in response to a planned nationwide protest slated for August 1, 2024.

This is according to a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Richard Pheelangwah, dated July 23, 2024, titled, ‘Planned Nationwide Protest.’

It 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.”

The meeting comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris pleaded with Nigerians to halt the planned protest.

In an interview with state house correspondents on Tuesday, the Minister said Tinubu’s administration needed more time to execute people-oriented programs.

“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,” he said.

Meanwhile, the planned protest comes amid the spiraling hardship in Nigeria as core inflation and food inflation increased to 34.19 percent and 40.87 respectively.

The implication has continued to impact on prices of commodities as the purchasing power of Nigerians shrinks.

Nigerians had insisted on the protest despite the recent approval of the N70,000 minimum wage and its passage on Tuesday by the Nigerian Senate.

The protest was inspired by the month-long protest in Kenya which saw citizens demanding the reversal of the Finance Act and other anti-policies by the Kenyan Government.