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Protest: You Don’t Know Where This Will End, Shettima Warns Nigerians |
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to focus on constructive actions to address the country's challenges rather than preparing for protests.
The Vice President made this appeal on Friday while announcing Nigeria's participation in the Grand Challenges Nigeria (GCNg) Project, a global health initiative aimed at combating malnutrition and food insecurity.
During a high-level meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima, who unveiled the partnership with the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), emphasized the importance of constructive action over protests, acknowledging the hardships faced by Nigerians due to recent economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies.
“This is the time for us to solve our problems, not to protest. The right to protest is guaranteed in most democracies around the world, but when you start the agitation, you don’t know where it will end; it is a road to anarchy,” Shettima said.
“We understand what Nigerians are going through, and our hearts go out to them. The oil subsidy has been a burden on our necks for 50 years. Once the harvests start coming, we believe it will positively affect the common man.
“I urge you to advocate for diplomacy, engagement, and patience. The President is very committed to the Nigerian project. It’s like a percolation process; when a woman is giving birth, it’s very painful, but once the child is delivered, it is a cause for celebration.”
As part of the government’s response to the nutritional crisis, Shettima reiterated the commitment to the Nutrition 774 Initiative, explaining that “catalytic initiatives like the Nutrition 774 Initiative are meticulously designed to incentivize positive changes across our communities.”
The GCNg Project, in collaboration with the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, aims to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in addressing public health and food system challenges.
Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, leader of the NSN delegation, called on the Vice President, as Chairman of the Nutrition Council of Nigeria, to lead the government’s component of the project and galvanize ministerial support.
“We were able to key into the global Grand Challenges project, largely funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We want the government to own this project and identify the partner agency or ministry that will sign the MoU,” Abubakar said.
Earlier, Godwin Bamsa, Senior Programmes Manager for Grand Challenges Nigeria, provided context on the initiative’s global impact, noting that since 2003, the Gates Foundation has invested over $1.6 billion in health and innovation projects across 118 countries.
