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Nigerian protesters defy president’s request to stop amid the worst cost-of-living crisis in years
Protests against economic hardship continued for a fifth day in several Nigerian states on Monday, a day after the president called for an end to the demonstrations that have faced a crackdown from security forces.
Far fewer protesters were seen compared to earlier demonstrations that drew thousands, mostly young people. Hundreds showed up in the economic hub of Lagos and a few northern states.
At least 13 people have been reported dead in the protests which began on Thursday against the West African nation’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and against the corruption and alleged bad governance that have stifled its development.
Nigerian security forces have been accused of using excessive force in the protests.
On Monday, President Bola Tinubu met with security chiefs in the capital, Abuja. A curfew was declared in northern Kaduna state — the sixth state to take such a measure since the protests began — after reports of looting.
The cost-of-living crisis is fueled by surging inflation, at a 28-year high, and government economic policies that have pushed the local currency to record lows against the dollar.
Tinubu on Sunday said his government was committed to addressing citizens’ concerns. But he provided no plan, according to the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence research firm.
A few protesters were seen waving Russian flags over the weekend and again on Monday in northern Nigeria, whose population is among the worst affected. The Russian embassy in Nigeria denied any responsibility, saying in a statement that the flags are personal choices of the protesters and “do not reflect any official position or policy of the Russian Government.”
The Russian flags being waved constitute treason and would be treated as such, Nigeria’s military chief Christopher Musa said after meeting with Tinubu.
Pro-Russian sentiments have been growing in parts of West Africa, where Moscow is increasingly welcomed by militaries that have staged coups and severed ties with the West. One is in Nigeria’s northern neighbor, Niger, where French and American troops have been asked to leave and Russia has been chosen as a new security partner.
On Sunday, Tinubu warned protesters not to let “the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda” in Nigeria, which currently holds the rotational chairmanship position of West Africa’s regional bloc.
Nigeria’s secret service said it had apprehended some tailors in northern Kano state it said were responsible for making Russian flags being distributed in the area. It said an investigation was ongoing.
Source:abcnews.go.com
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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