To mitigate the growing hardship faced by many Nigerians, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) has called on both federal and state governments to establish a task force dedicated to stabilizing food prices nationwide.
Reacting to the planned youth protests against current economic difficulties, scheduled from August 1 to 10, MMWG warned of the potential dangers such demonstrations could pose. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Abdullahi Ibrahim, the group emphasized that protests, no matter how peaceful their intentions, often escalate into violence due to the involvement of hoodlums and miscreants.
The statement reminded organizers and supporters of the planned protests of the adverse consequences of previous demonstrations, such as the #ENDSARS protests, which resulted in widespread looting, property damage, and loss of lives.
MMWG urged all those connected to the planned protests to abandon the idea and seek dialogue and peaceful resolutions instead. It commended organizations and individuals who have withdrawn their support for the protests, encouraging all patriotic Nigerians to collaborate with the government to find solutions to the nation’s economic challenges.
The group also praised the Senate for its expedited approval of the New Minimum Wage Bill and the 2024 Supplementary Budget of N6 trillion, intended to fund the new minimum wage and other projects. It called on both federal and state governments to implement the new minimum wage comprehensively, including necessary adjustments to workers’ salaries and equitable adjustments to pensions.
MMWG specifically appealed to state governors to ensure that the new minimum wage positively impacts the lives of their residents by fully implementing the wage increases in their respective states.
