FG Holds Emergency Meeting with Ministers Over August 1 Protest

FG is set to hold an emergency meeting with Ministers over the August 1 Protest.

Newsone Nigeria reports that the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu has scheduled an emergency meeting on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in response to a planned nationwide protest slated for August 1, 2024.

This online news platform understands that the emergency meeting was revealed in a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Richard Pheelangwah, dated July 23, 2024, titled, ‘Planned Nationwide Protest.’

The circular reads thus;

“I am directed to invite you to attend a meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the above subject slated as follows: July 24, 2024, Time: 10 am prompt, Venue: Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Conference Room.”

The meeting comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris pleaded with Nigerians to halt the planned protest.

In an interview with state house correspondents on Tuesday, the Minister said Tinubu’s administration needed more time to execute people-oriented programs.

“On the issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that. He asked them to shelve that plan and asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” he said.

Meanwhile, Newsone reports that the planned August 1 Protest comes amid the spiraling hardship in Nigeria as core inflation and food inflation increased to 34.19 percent and 40.87 respectively.

The implication has continued to impact the prices of commodities as Nigerians’ purchasing power shrinks.

Nigerians had insisted on the protest despite the recent approval of the N70,000 minimum wage and its passage on Tuesday by the Nigerian Senate.

The protest was inspired by the month-long protest in Kenya which saw citizens demanding the reversal of the Finance Act and other anti-policies by the Kenyan Government.