WorldStage Newsonline– President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerian youths to shelve their plans to carry out protests on August 1.
Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with the President said the President does not see any need for protest, he has listened to them, and asked them to await government’s response to all their pleas.
“Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.
“Mr President listens to them, he takes what they say seriously and he is working assiduously to ensure that this country is good not just for today but also for the future,” he said.
He said the government was doing a lot of things to cushion the hardship experienced by Nigerians.
“Today, the National Assembly has expeditiously passed the bill on National Minimum Wage. You can see how the President is working, it was transmitted only yesterday and today it has been passed.
“A lot of other interventions that the President has put in place are also going to be looked at expeditiously in the interest of Nigerians.
“So, there is no need for protest, the young people out there should listen to the President and allow him more time to see to the realisation of all the goodies he has for them,” Idris said.
The minister said the highlights of other policies to cushion the effect of the hardship Nigerians were feeling included distribution of grains and rice by the Federal Government to state governments.
“Like I said that time it is just the necessary first step. Government is going to continue in that direction, assuring that whatever intervention the Federal Government has put in place will go to those that should benefit.
“The Federal Government is looking at strategies that every intervention will go directly to those who benefit from those interventions not middle men intercepting them along the way,” he said.
He added that another important intervention by the Federal Government was the students loan.
“Mr President is very passionate about it, that everyone that should go to school will have the opportunity to do so.
“It is no longer a time for our young men and women who have passed examinations to go to tertiary institutions not to be able to do that because their parents cannot pay for their fees,” said the minister.
He said the government was also perfecting a scheme to support graduates of universities and polytechnics that were not able to get jobs until they got employed.
“The whole idea is that no one is left behind, it is an all inclusive government and the President is determined to ensure that no one is left behind in this attempt to march Nigeria towards progress,” said Idris.
The minister said his meeting with the President was to discuss issues relating to government’s media organisations such as NTA, FRCN, NAN and VON.
“We have discussed all that, we have also arrived at situations that will help their positions as public information platforms of the country.
“They should be in the forefront and we are doing everything possible to make sure that they are being repositioned so that they can serve Nigeria very well,” he said.
POLICE
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Olukayode Egbetokun, has said the Nigeria Police would respond to the Aug. 1 planned protest by some Nigerians, “in a most professional manner”.
Egbetokun said this on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with Strategic Police Managers, consisting of officers from the rank of Commissioners of Police and above.
He said the meeting with the Strategic Police Managers was to share intelligence from the various Police Commands in the country and analyse same for the security of the country.
“So we are prepared and I want to assure you that we will manage the protest in the most professional manner,” he said.
The I-G said the police would remain committed to provide security for those that would engage in peaceful protest.
“If the protest is peaceful, you will see us protecting the protesters as long as they remain peaceful.
“But we have a duty to protect lives and property, so we will not sit back and watch hoodlums burning down facilities in the name of protest.
“So, we are not against peaceful protest, we will support peaceful protest by protecting those who will engage in peaceful protest,” he said.
He said the task of maintaining law and order during the protest would not be a challenge if the protesters engaged in peaceful protest.
According to him, it becomes a challenge if the protest is violent.
“I have always said that the right to protest is right to peaceful protest.
“No civilised society will tolerate violent protest. Violent protest is criminal, but peaceful protest is a right.”
The I-G, therefore, called on Nigerian youths to ignore anyone inciting them to violent protests.
