The Traffic

Protest Demands VS What Government Is Doing: A Tale of Two Agendas

As the streets echoed with chants of "Lower the cost of living!" and "We can't afford it anymore!", the government was busy implementing a series of measures to address the very same concerns. The National Minimum Wage had been increased to N70,000, with states expected to follow suit immediately. Import duties on essential food items and pharmaceutical raw materials had been suspended until the end of 2024, aiming to bring down prices.

Meanwhile, a massive project was underway to convert 30,000 petrol-powered commercial vehicles to the cheaper CNG alternative, promising to reduce transport costs. Students of tertiary institutions were receiving support, with 20,000 already covered under the Student Loans Scheme and 240,000 more to come. The N50,000 presidential grant had been disbursed to over 600,000 Nigerians, with 400,000 more awaiting their turn.

Small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were not left behind, with N75 billion to be disbursed to 100,000 businesses starting August 2024. The Youth Investment Fund had approved N110 billion for disbursement, with applications ongoing. A Consumer Credit Scheme had been launched to enable Nigerians to access credit facilities. And, to top it all off, over N570 billion had been released to state governments for expansion of livelihood support to Nigerians.

But as the protesters marched on, their demands seemed to diverge from the government's actions. Were they aware of the efforts being made to address their concerns? Or were their demands driven by a sense of urgency and desperation that couldn't wait for the government's measures to take effect? The disconnect between the two agendas was palpable, leaving one to wonder if the government's efforts would be enough to quell the unrest. Only time would tell.