Shuaibu Audu, Minister of Steel Development, has urged Nigerians to cease widespread protests against the current government, assuring them that President Bola Tinubu is working hard to address the country’s current difficulties.
He asked demonstrators to be more patient and trust President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
According to him, the current administration’s policies include strategic plans and policies that, if implemented, will propel Nigeria to economic prosperity, improved welfare, education and health systems, improved social amenities, food security, and infrastructure development, among other things.
While outlining President Tinubu’s accomplishments in just over a year in office, he assured Nigerians that all of their expectations for good administration would be met before the president’s first term ends.
“I would like to urge my fellow Nigerians to please pause the nationwide protests against the current administration and allow us to engage in conversation to resolve all of our issues and expectations from the President Tinubu-led administration.
“Mr. President has repeatedly demonstrated his concern for the plight of Nigerians, including the recent implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for workers and the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative with CNG vehicles to mitigate the impact of the removal of fuel subsidies, which will reduce transportation costs by at least 70%.
“In response to the challenges of the masses in the face of ongoing reforms, President Tinubu directed the release of N50,000 uplift grants to over 100,000 families in each state for three months, affecting close to 5 million families countrywide. My colleague, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has assured Nigerians that food prices will fall in 180 days, with strategic measures to address the country’s current high food prices being implemented. 250,000 metric tons of wheat and 250,000 metric tonnes of maize are being imported, with these semi-processed commodities being distributed to small-scale processors and millers across the country.
Furthermore, in order to boost the health sector, Mr. President has instructed the redesign of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. This redesign was successful in attracting $2.5 million in funding for the National Primary Health Care, which would allow citizens to have 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 all. Quite a few of these projects have already revealed their existence.
Prince Audu made the following statement: “In the steel sector, the ongoing reforms to revive our steel plants will create over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs, while at the same time we attract foreign direct investments as a means of growing and diversifying the economy.”
Following intelligence inputs from security and law enforcement agencies, the minister made an additional appeal to Nigerians to avoid participating in the protest. This information indicated that there were those who intended to take advantage of the protest in order to cause chaos and a breakdown in law and order throughout the country.