The Northern Agenda for Good Governance & Allied Groups announced on Thursday that they have called off the hardship protest in Bauchi State, prioritizing peace and stability in Bauchi State and Nigeria,leadership reports.
Comrade Hashim Bala Pali, the group’s coordinator, made the announcement during a press conference at the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He praised the support of the group’s members and other citizens for the initially planned civil protest.
“We decided to call off the protest in the greater interest of peace and stability in Bauchi State and Nigeria as a whole,” Pali stated. “We realized that it is better to send the message through the press than to risk having the protest hijacked by unknown and possibly irresponsible elements, which could turn our good intentions into something undesirable.”
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Pali noted that their group, along with other civil society organizations, had planned to engage relevant stakeholders and security agencies for a nationwide peaceful protest over the harsh living conditions in Nigeria, scheduled from August 1st to August 10th, 2024.
He expressed the group’s strong concern about the stalled oil exploration in the Kolmani area, a project commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari and attended by President Bola Tinubu about two years ago. The group regretted that the exploration site has been abandoned, despite its significant socioeconomic and developmental importance to the North-East and the entire country.
“The issue is even more worrisome considering that during his campaign visit to the North-East, President Tinubu promised to continue work in this regard, but that is not happening. We demand an explanation for the delay and immediate resumption of work at the site,” Pali said.
He further attributed the root cause of hunger, starvation, and other difficulties faced by Nigerians to the removal of fuel subsidies announced by President Tinubu in his inaugural address. “Since then, life has become meaningless to the majority of our citizens. Hence, we join the popular call for the immediate return of the subsidy regime. The survival of our people is more important than ineffective policies,” Pali demanded.
Pali also criticized the federal government for introducing higher electricity tariffs at a time when most Nigerians struggle to afford a meal a day. He called for the reversal of the tariff increase and suggested exploring alternative ways to provide affordable electricity.
Regarding the students’ loan fund intended to offset the increased fees in tertiary institutions, Pali argued that it would not address the issue of access to quality education for average Nigerians. He suggested that economic policies should focus on improving citizens’ purchasing power and adding value to the currency, making it easier for citizens to afford tertiary education.
The group also demanded a review of Forex and other macro and microeconomic policies of the government. “So far, most of the economic policies of the Tinubu administration do not seem to be working, as they have led to increased suffering for the citizens. We demand that rising inflation be checked and our land borders reopened,” Pali stated.
Pali accused many leaders of taking the people for granted, engaging with citizens only during national emergencies. He pointed out that none of the ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet or other appointees have returned home to discuss these issues with the people, and only a few representatives in the National Assembly are present in their constituencies at this crucial time.
