The administration of President Bola Tinubu has taken some proactive steps to stop the scheduled 10-day hunger protest organised by some Nigerians. Naija News reports that the protest slated for August 1 to 10 is organised by some Nigerians demanding an end to bad governance and economic hardship in the country......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
However, there has been fear that the protest may be hijacked by thugs, especially as some states, unions and youths loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have pulled out of the protest.
Similarly, the former Niger Delta freedom fighter, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has warned organisers of the protest to desist from coming to Niger Delta.
Dokubo-Asari said the agenda of those behind the protest do not capture the problems of the people of the Niger Delta.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states to ensure the protest remains peaceful.
Additionally, President Tinubu has urged aggrieved Nigerians to shelve protests and has taken various steps in the last one week to ensure that the demonstrations do not hold.
1. Sale of 50kg bag of rice for N40,000: The Federal Government created centres across the country where Nigerians can purchase a bag of rice for N40,000 to ease living conditions for citizens.
2. N50,000 stipends: Tinubu on Tuesday approved a monthly stipend of N50,000 for youths in the Niger Delta to alleviate current economic hardships.
The Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this at the Niger Delta Sensitisation Conference for ethnic nationalities, youths, and women in Port Harcourt.
3. Suspension of import duties: President Tinubu suspended import duties on food importation on Monday to cushion the effect of the inflationary trend in Nigeria.
4. Tinubu directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to sell crude to the Dangote refinery and other upcoming refineries in naira.
According to some experts, oil marketers and refiners, Tinubu’s approval for the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Petroleum refinery in naira will force the prices of domestically refined petroleum products to crash.
5. Tinubu also met with governors from the All Progressives Congress, under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to discuss the growing calls for nationwide protests against economic hardship.
6. The President held emergency meetings with prominent traditional rulers and Ulamas (Islamic religious scholars) at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, as part of efforts by the government to ensure the planned hunger protest, slated for August 1 to 10, is averted nationwide.
