WATCH THE VIDEO HERE SPONSOR AD Vice President Kashim Shettima Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun By Ayorinde Olaokun/Abuja Vice President Kashim Shettima has warned that the protest being planned by some Nigerians to begin on August 1 may be a road to anarchy in the country. The Vice President said this while speaking at the launch of the Grand Challenges Nigeria (GCNg) Project, a global health initiative aimed at combating malnutrition and food insecurity on Friday. Shettima acknowledged the difficulties faced by Nigerians and their rights to protest, but he said what is needed to tackles the challenges confronting the country at the moment are diplomacy, engagement and patience. He also said the preoccupation of Nigerians now should be how to tackle problems facing the country and not embarking on protest. “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 can start the agitation and you don’t know where it will end, it is a road to anarchy,” the Vice President said according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Information, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha. Shettima likened the country’s current situation to a woman giving birth, stating that while the process may be painful, the outcome will be worth celebrating. He also addressed the issue of fuel subsidy, describing it as a 50-year-old “albatross” on the nation’s neck, but expressed optimism that the upcoming harvests will have a positive impact on the common man. Shettima said: “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 can start the agitation and you don’t know where it will end, it is a road to anarchy. “We appreciate what Nigerians are going through and our heart goes out to them. The oil subsidy has been an albatross on our neck for 50 years. Once the harvests start coming, we believe it will have a positive effect on the common man. “I wish to call on you to advocate for diplomacy, engagement and patience. The President is very much committed to the Nigerian project, but it’s like a percolation project. “When a woman is giving birth, it’s a very painful process. But once the child is delivered, it is a cause for celebration.” The Vice President unveiled the partnership targeted at addressing Nigeria’s pressing nutritional challenges with the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) during the high-level meeting. Shettima reiterated the government’s commitment to the Nutrition 774 Initiative, explaining that “catalytic initiatives like the Nutrition 774 Initiative are meticulously designed to incentivise positive changes across our communities”.
Protest may be a road to anarchy, Shettima warns
