The federal government has urged organisers of the August 1 nationwide protests to reconsider their actions, stating that President Bola Tinubu was “already protesting” on behalf of potential demonstrators by implementing measures to address their concerns.
Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Monday after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
Idris revealed that the government has launched several initiatives aimed at alleviating the economic hardships facing Nigerians.
The Minister emphasised that many of the protesters’ demands were already being tackled.
He said: “the position of the FEC is that most of the demands that the protesters are making are actually being addressed by the federal government.
“And, therefore, it is the view of the government that there is really no need for the protests again because most of those things that the protesters are putting forward have already actually been addressed or are being addressed by government and like we have said repeatedly, this is a listening government.
“The President has listened to be voices of all those who are planning this protest. And the message is that there is no need for it.
“Indeed, the President is already protesting on their behalf by doing those things that they want a government to do. For example, the effort that government is making, in ensuring that food is being made available.”
The minister listed some key measures the administration has taken to include; distribution of subsidised rice at N40,000 per bag, a 50% discount from market prices; allocation of 20 trucks to each state for food distribution to the most vulnerable.
Others include; commencement of student loan disbursements, with provisions for over two million students, plans to employ about three million youth through the MTT program and introduction of CNG vehicles to potentially reduce transportation costs by 60%.
Idris acknowledged that while the efforts may not be sufficient to address all concerns immediately, they represented “necessary first steps” in the government’s broader economic strategy.
The Minister appealed to the protest organisers to reconsider their actions, warning of the potential for the demonstrations to be hijacked by “unscrupulous elements.”
He stressed that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, the government believed current circumstances do not warrant such actions.
“There is just no need for that,” Idris insisted, urging citizens to allow time for the government’s interventions to take full effect across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure.
