THE Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu says President Bola Tinubu is monitoring the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
Nigeria’s recent protests are owing to the high cost of living, worsened by the floating of the naira and the stoppage of fuel subsidy removal by the Tinubu administration.
Although there have been calls for Tinubu to address the nation after the demonstrations entered the third day – petering out though – the president is yet to do that.
However, Bagudu, said the Nigerian leader is well aware of the situation.
“Mr President has been monitoring the situation, as he ought to. Very responsibly, and alert,” the minister said on Saturday during Channels Television’s special programme The August Protest — #EndBadGovernance monitored by NEws Point Nigeria.
“I am a minister. I also have responsibilities. I have also been monitoring this thing. I have been noting this thing so that I can make inputs.”
“We have been monitoring and listening carefully to hear what is being said and what noting them,” Bagudu said on the show.
Pushed by the inflation figures which have reached 34 per cent, millions of Nigerians who are struggling to afford basic items trooped to the streets across several cities to register their grievances over the reforms by the Tinubu government.
The protests went smoothly in many cities on the first day but events turned awry in other places. Hoodlums hijacked the demonstrations in places like Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and others, looting goods and destroying properties worth millions of naira.
To rein the chaos, some states imposed a curfew while police authorities arrested several suspects.
The minister who admitted the hardship facing Nigerians, said it was not peculiar to the country but the Federal Government is working to make life easier for the citizens.
“The cost of living crisis is a crisis affecting many countries as we speak,” he said, adding that, “we would listen and we also value the inputs of Nigerians”.
