Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has called on Nigerians to reject the planned nationwide protests and instead focus on peace, dialogue, and collaboration to address the nation’s challenges. His appeal came during a press conference with journalists and media executives at the Radio House in Abuja on Wednesday.
While acknowledging the right to protest, Akume expressed concerns that the protests might be exploited by “bandits, insurgents, and other criminals.” He urged Nigerians to prioritize peace and progress over demonstrations against hunger.
“We, therefore, appeal to Nigerians of whatever persuasion, belief, demography, gender, and status to shun calls for protests against hunger by prioritising peace and progress. For the avoidance of doubt, the government of President Tinubu recognises the right to peaceful protest, but circumspection and vigilance should be our watchwords,” Akume stated.
During the briefing, Akume outlined various interventions by the President Tinubu-led administration over the past fourteen months, emphasizing the government’s commitment to economic growth and development.
Key Achievements Noted:
- A Wage Award of N35,000 for six months was approved to support workers, in addition to the recent signing of a new National Minimum Wage Act raising the minimum wage to N70,000.
- Efforts to enhance local government autonomy have progressed following a favorable Supreme Court judgment.
- A stand-alone Ministry for Youth has been created, and under the N35 billion Nigerian Education Loan Fund, over 40,000 beneficiaries have been approved out of the expected 70,000.
Akume described Nigeria as a “work in progress” and expressed optimism that the country would soon experience significant relief and progress.