Economic hardship: FG’s PC meets over protests, cost of living

Voice Air Media, News Update

THE Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is currently meeting behind closed doors with the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and some ministers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting which began at about 05:30 pm also has in attendance the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso, Ministers of Education, Dr Tahir Mamman; Finance, Wale Edun; Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari and State for Agriculture, Sabi Abdullahi.

Although the agenda of the meeting is not yet made public, presidency source told Vanguard that it was not unconnected with food security, especially the rising prices of food items that is causing unrest in some states.

It was reliably gathered that the meeting was for the Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention, convened by the Chief of Staff to the President.

The meeting is coming on the heels of the protests by women in Minna, Niger State and that of the angry youths in Kano over the rising cost of living in the country.

Recall that a group of women in Minna, Niger State had on Monday blocked the ever-busy Minna-Bida Road at the popular Kpakungu Roundabout and called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to address the problem of ‘hunger in the land.’

Attempts by security operatives to quell the protest by firing tear gas cannisters into the crowd and making some arrests were rebuffed by the mob.

The youths in Kano also protested over the hardship in the country and the state governor, Abba Yusuf assured them that he would take their complain to the President.