The Federal Government of Nigeria has scheduled an emergency meeting for this morning, July 24 to deliberate on the planned nationwide protest slated for August 1.
This follows President Bola Tinubu’s appeal to the organisers of the protest to shelve the action and give his administration more time to execute people-oriented programmes.
Quoting a circular, the PUNCH reported that the meeting will involve the ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and 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, among others.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Richard Pheelangwah, dated July 23, 2024, was 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.
“Attendance is mandatory. Please, accept the warm regards of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
It would be recalled that some youths are planning to come out on August 1 to protest the economic hardship in the country.
The planned demonstration, inspired by the recent Kenya protests, has gained traction on social media, where it is trending under the hashtags ‘EndBadGovernance,’ ‘TinubuMustGo’ and ‘#Revolution2024.’
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, after meeting with the president on Tuesday pleaded for calm in an interview with State House correspondents.
“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 realisation of all the goodies he has for them,” the minister said.
Idris said the President took the protesters’ grievances seriously and was committed to ensuring a better future for Nigeria.
He mentioned the speedy passage of the National Minimum Wage Bill by the National Assembly and the recent approval and delivery of grains to state governments as evidence of the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians.
Idris added, “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 approved 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.
“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.”
