Protest: Minister Calls For calm, Says Tinubu Has Done a Lot To Salvage The Current Situation

 

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle has appealed to Nigerians to suspend the nationwide protests against the current government, assuring citizens that President Bola Tinubu is working assiduously to fix the current challenges of the country.

While addressing some select national heads of various youth Organisations on Tuesday in Abuja, he urged protesters to have more patience and trust the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Tinubu.

According to Matawalle, the policies of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration encompass strategic plans and policies, that will drive Nigeria to economic prosperity, improved welfare, education and health systems, improved social amenities, food security, and infrastructural development, amongst many other needs when implemented.

While highlighting the achievements of President Tinubu in just over one year in office, he assured that Nigerians will get all their expectations of good governance before the end of the first tenure of the president.

“I want to appeal to my fellow Nigerians, especially you the youth leaders to please call for immediate suspension of the nationwide protests against the current administration and let us resort to dialogue to address all our concerns and expectations from the President Tinubu-led administration.

“Mr President has shown countless times his concern for the plight of Nigerians, with the recent implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for workers, driving the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative with CNG vehicles to cushion the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy which will reduce the cost of transportation by at least 70 per cent.

“Responsive to the challenges of the masses in the face of the ongoing reforms, President Tinubu directed the disbursement of N50,000 uplift grants each to over 100,000 families per state for three months thereby impacting close to 5 million families nationwide. My colleague, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, under the directive of Mr President, has assured Nigerians that food prices will crash in 180 days, with strategic measures aimed at addressing the high food prices currently affecting the nation currently being implemented. 250,000 metric tonnes of wheat and 250,000 metric tonnes of maize is being imported, and these semi-processed commodities will be supplied to small-scale processors and millers across the country.

“Additionally, strengthening the health sector, Mr. President has directed the redesign of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which attracted $2.5 dollars in financing for the National Primary Health Care so that citizens could have direct access to better healthcare.

“I and my colleagues at the Cabinet level, under the visionary leadership of Mr President across all sectors, have been working relentlessly to implement various policies within our respective mandates for the actualisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda so as to facilitate a better Nigeria for us all. Many of these projects have already come to light.

Again, Mr. President have given State Governors huge sum of monies to help curtail the hardship issues in our various localities.

“In the steel sector, the ongoing reforms to revive our steel plants will create over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs, while we attract Foreign Direct Investments as a means of growing and diversifying the economy”.

It is now crystal clear that we are making lofty successes in the war against banditry and terrorism as Mr. President has relentlessly taken the welfare of men and officersnof the Nigerian Armed Forces serious”, Matawalle stated.

The Defence minister (state) further appealed to Nigerians, to shun the protest following intelligence reports from security and law enforcement agencies, of miscreants with plans to hijack the protest to cause mayhem and breakdown of law and order across the country as he promised to create a youth relations unit in his office for frequent interface with the youthdom from time to time.

“Trust me, Dialogue will pay better than Protest. We are open for dialogue”, the Minister advocated.

Senators, Reps, Politicians Flee Abroad Ahead Hunger Protest

 

Ahead of the planned nationwide protests slated for August 1, senators, members of the House of Representatives and some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) are temporarily moving abroad under the guise of medical checkup and summer holidays.

The Senate and the House of Representatives, last Tuesday, hurriedly shutdown the two chambers of the National Assembly, to enable members process their visas and beat the August 1 deadline for the nationwide protests.

Some senators and members of the House of Representatives, who spoke to Daily Sun in confidence, said they were worried that if the organisers go ahead and commence the nationwide rage, members of the National Assembly would be their first victims.

They recalled how in 2020, many of them were attacked in their constituencies and their properties were vandalised by the raging protesters.

A senator who spoke to Daily Sun, said ministers, governors and other presidential aides were usually protected by the security agents, but expressed worry that lawmakers were usually left to protect themselves.

He said as lawmakers, Nigerians have unfettered access to them whenever they want, explaining that such an arrangement puts their lives in danger, especially during a major uprising.

The lawmaker recalled how protesters attacked the National Parliament in Kenya during a recent nationwide protest and torched lawmakers, while the president and other cabinet members were protected by the security agents.

“We were supposed to adjourn for our annual break next week. But we had a meeting where many lawmakers complained to the leadership of the National Assembly about the imminent threats to their lives if the protests are eventually held. We begged them to bring back the adjournment date. They listened to us.

“Lawmakers who cannot afford the needed security are leaving until the madness calms down. Some of us are not going to Europe or America. Some of our colleagues are even in Ghana and South Africa. You know for holders of the diplomatic passports, it is often visa on arrival.

“As I’m talking to you, I’ve secured my ticket and I’m leaving Abuja this weekend. President Bola Tinubu is protected. All his ministers have enough security. Governors enjoy the same. I don’t have anyone to protect me if the protesters should attack. It is safer to leave until things calm down,” he told Daily Sun.

A travel agent, who works at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, told Daily Sun that she has secured emergency tickets for many members of the National Assembly in the last one week, who are traveling to Europe, the Middle East and other African countries.

The travel agent explained that a visit to the the various international airports in the country would confirm her claims. She said the high demands for international flight tickets has significantly increased the cost, almost double of the original price.

“Summer tickets have gone up because of the sudden demand for them by the government’s officials. Many senators and their colleagues in the House of Representatives are the ones asking for the tickets. Some ministers are also getting tickets, claiming that they’re going for medical checkup, but I doubt it.

“I booked flight for one senator on Saturday to the United States of America for almost $3,000 for a return ticket. South Africa and the United Kingdom are the most sort after tickets by lawmakers. Others are asking for tickets to Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Even Ghana is also on the list.

“But one of them jokingly told me that he’s leaving Nigeria to save his head. He said he’s not sure how the protests will turn out. I could see the fears in his eyes. I got a ticket to Turkey for him,” she revealed.

Trouble For CBN Governor, Emefiele As Buhari’s Supporters To Stage 7-day Protest Over E-Naira, Bad Economy, N500Billion Scandal

Central Bank Of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele has been asked to resign or being sacked by a pro-Muhammadu Buhari group, Nigeria First Movement

According to the supporters of the President, doing so will save the nation from further economic meltdown.

Group Coordinator, Augustine Richard in a statement said the latest introduction and subsequent launch of the digital currency, eNaira by Emefiele is the “final nail in the country’s already doomed economy.”

Since the release of the eNaira, the app has received negative reviews from Nigerians, who were disappointed with the tedious registration processes as part of the requirements.

The group also urged the CBN Governor to resign over his alleged inability to stabilise the country’s bleeding economy.

It threatened to mobilise over 200 other pro-Buhari groups across the globe for a ‘mother of all protests’ that would hold simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and London, UK against Nigeria’s poor economic posture if Emefiele failed to resign or get sacked.

“Emefiele may have made history as the only governor to be re-appointed for a second term in office since the nation’s return to a democratic rule, however, he is best known for surrendering much of the bank’s independence, running a monetary policy that had record negative impact on the economy,” Richard said.

“The introduction and subsequent launch of the digital currency, eNaira, is perceived as the final nail in the country’s already doomed economy.

“We are ready to champion the call for Emefiele’s removal by staging a one-week protest that could potentially cripple economic activities in Abuja. We’re also ready to mobilise over 200 other pro-Buhari groups across the globe in the ‘mother of all protests’ that would hold simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and London against the nation’s poor economic posture.

“Emiefele played a pivotal role in the collapse of the economy since his appointment as the CBN chief and before his arrival, the economy was said to be one of the fastest growing in the world. Shortly after his reappointment in 2019, Emefiele announced a five-year plan that targets double-digit growth in one of Africa’s largest economies.

“His approach to policy implementation, however, has left many in doubt, raising questions on how his key policy move, especially in the context of management of the exchange rate, benefits the economy, and the naira he sought to protect.

“On July 24, 2020, the CBN launched a series of non-intrant loan schemes under the AGSMEIS, MSMEDF, AADF and other loan schemes. The program attracted a lot of Nigerians, with millions of them seeking to join the program through all due process. For more than a year now, nothing has been done. The CBN under Emefile has shirked its primary responsibility of ensuring price stability and has embraced a more developmental role, in the hopes of naira stability.

“As confirmed by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Rt. Hon. James Faleke, the CBN has failed to submit its Audited Account to the Office of the Auditor General (OAGF) for review, from 2010 to date.

“According to Kalu Ajah, chief executive officer at AfriSwiss Capital Assets Management Limited in Abuja, the CBN has pursued a strong naira policy and had sought to dampen imports. Well, imports have not declined and the naira is far from strong. One wonders if the import restrictions on items and capital controls were necessary or if the CBN should have devalued the naira earlier. I will say Nigeria did not benefit from the capital controls regime.

“The regulatory bank’s aggressive lending policy has been called into question as well, causing some concerns over the bank chief’s stewardship of the banking sector. The CBN is forcing banks to lend, and penalising non-lenders. These are shareholders funds being deployed via fiat.

“In October last year, the Central Bank fined 12 banks, including Citibank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank N499 billion for failing to meet lending targets. It is another move that attracted criticism across the board.”

Richard added that the N500 billion which was stolen in a private Dubai investment towards the end of 2018 should be investigated by the President as well as other funds that went missing during Emefiele’s administration.

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