Human Rights Activist and the Convener, Coalition of Women in Africa for Peace and Development, Belema Meshack-Hart has faulted the federal government on its position asking aggrieved Nigerians not to take to the streets to engage in protest.
Some groups across the country have been drumming for support on the social media to draw the attention of the federal government to what they tagged escalating hardship, increasing cost of living and drastic reduction in living standard, as well as insecurity.
The federal government in response to the planned protest has however urged the organisers to consider dropping the plan, saying the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is making efforts to address their demands.
Recall that the federal government had approved the release of 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states of the federation for distribution among needy citizens.
Additionally, the government has also approved the N70,000 minimum wage bill brought before it by the National Assembly for commencement of implementation, a policy believed to be aiming at enhancing the take-home pay of workers across the country.
Also, the federal government said it has set up centres for citizens to purchase 50kg of rice at a 50% discounted race to help families have more to feed.
Featuring on AIT current affairs programme, Democracy Today on Thursday, July 25, Belema while admitting that the cost of living has soared, causing hardship in many families said the federal government should not resort to threat but engage the leaders of the planned protest on a roundtable discussion instead of using the security agencies to threaten them.
“Those in government flaunt their wealth, they are not cutting the cost governance, but you see a family man looking for two thousand naira to feed his family and you are saying they should not protest? You can’t beat a baby and tell him not to cry“, he stated.
While advising that the media handlers of the federal government should come up with strategies to educate the masses on what the government is doing to alleviate the suffering of the masses, he also urged that President Bola Tinubu should engage with the agitated citizens and educate them better on what plans he has put in place on a short, middle and long-time basis to address the growing hunger.
He appealed to the government to reduce the governance cost, reduce long convoys of those in government and engage meaningfully to assuage their pains.
He also challenged the security agencies to handle peaceful protesters with utmost professionalism to ensure that it does not escalate into chaos and anarchy.
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