The Cross River State Government has urged residents of the state not to participate in the planned August 1 nationwide protest.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr Erasmus Ekpang, made the call in a statement in Calabar on Tuesday.

Mr Ekpang said that although Nigerians were passing through a difficult moment, the government at all levels was showing enormous commitment to the wellbeing of the citizenry.

He said that it was not in the interest of the nation to resort to protest, saying “remember how the EndSARS protest led to needless destructions”

He added, “The state government will not hesitate to take decisive actions against anyone or group who threatens the prevailing peace in the state.’’

The commissioner said that the government had implemented several intervention programmes as part of its commitment to the wellbeing of the people.

He said that more 117, 802 poor and vulnerable households had benefited from the series of interventions by the government.

“We are not unaware of the inflation and the high cost of goods and services. We are aware of these challenges and their effects on the people. The Senator Bassey Otu-led government has initiated programmes aimed at improving the quality of life in the state,” he said.

Mr Ekpang said that under the Cash Transfer programme, the state Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs had disbursed about N1.3 billion to beneficiaries across the state.

“Under the Small and Medium Enterprises, NG-CARES has disbursed grants ranging between N100,000 and N400,000 to 2,136 enterprises in the state,” he said.

The commissioner further said that inputs had been donated to 73,634 poultry, piggery, rice, aquaculture and cassava farmers among others, under the FADAMA programme.

“Under the recently launched Livelihood Grant Programme, about 4,000 poor and vulnerable individuals have received between N50,000 and N200,000 each. 20,898 poor and vulnerable youths were enrolled and paid six months stipends amounting to N1.3 billion under the Labour Intensive Public Works programme,” he said.

He said that no fewer than 100 canoes and fishing boats were built and distributed to youths in riverine communities.

Mr Ekpang also said that in addition, the Otu-led government spent N440 million to register 16,301 residents of the state to sit the West African School Certificate Examination.

“You can see that the government is not resting in its laurels. We have done all these to cushion the effects of the current economic challenges,” he said.

Recall that there are reports of planned anti-government protests scheduled to hold between August 1 and 10 across the country.

(NAN)