In a nationwide broadcast on Thursday in Abuja, the president said the call had become imperative in view of the fact that some members of the international community had expressed concern about the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.

Our correspondent reports that the president’s appeal may not be unconnected with the concern expressed by former First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton, and former Vice-President Joe Biden on the #EndSARS protests.

The Nigerian leader said the choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of the nation’s constitution and other enactments.

He, however, stated that the right to protest also imposes on the demonstrators the responsibility to respect the rights of other citizens and the necessity to operate within the law.

“The spreading of deliberate falsehood and misinformation through the social media in particular, that this government is oblivious to the pains and plight of its citizens is a ploy to mislead the unwary within and outside Nigeria into unfair judgment and disruptive behavior.

“On the contrary, both our deeds and words have shown how committed this administration has been to the well-being and welfare of citizens, even with the steadily dwindling revenues, and the added responsibilities and restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.

He described as unfortunate how the promptness in the scrapping of SARS by the Federal Government was misconstrued.

“On approving the termination of SARS, I already made it clear that it was in line with our commitment to the implementation of extensive police reforms.

“Sadly, the promptness with which we have acted seemed to have been misconstrued as a sign of weakness and twisted by some for their selfish unpatriotic interests.

“The result of this is clear to all observers: human lives have been lost; acts of sexual violence have been reported; two major correctional facilities were attacked and convicts freed; public and private properties completely destroyed or vandalised; the sanctity of the palace of a peace maker, the Oba of Lagos, has been violated.

“So-called protesters have invaded an international airport and in the process disrupted the travel plans of fellow Nigerians and our visitors,” he said.

On measures put in place to address the challenges facing the country, the president revealed that the Federal Government had put in place measures and initiatives principally targeted at youths, women and the most vulnerable.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to preserving the unity of the country.

“We will continue to improve good governance and our democratic process, including through sustained engagement.

“We shall continue to ensure that liberty and freedom as well as the fundamental rights of all citizens are protected,’’ Buhari said.

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The Executive Director of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, made the call in Enugu on Thursday while declaring open a training for youth on how to embark on export of goods and services to international markets.

The executive director said that the training was part of the council’s mentorship programme aimed at promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

He said that the council was not unmindful of the resourcefulness of youths in the South East but sad that such had not resulted into export of goods and services.

Awolowo, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Export Development and Incentives, NEPC, Mrs Esther Ikpeora, said that there was a great need for that to change.

Awolowo said that the NEPC had the responsibility of offering technical advice to entrepreneurs in order to make their products to penetrate the international market.

He said that the council had designed a programme to tailor the talent of youths to more rewarding areas.

Awolowo said that the process included creating entrepreneurs that would compete favourably with the rest of the world in the international market.

Also, the Special Assistant to Enugu State Governor on Agriculture, Mr Mike Ogbu, said that the state government had registered a wide range of agricultural products that could be exported.

Ogbuekwe said that the training would open the eyes of the trainees on the opportunities in the international market, adding that the state government was ready to assist in any way possible.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the South-East Regional Coordinator of NEPC, Mr Arnold Jackson, said that the essence of the training was to get as many youths as possible into export business.

Jackson said that it had become necessary to organise such training due to the numerous trade opportunities in the state.

He said that the trainees needed to take advantage of the diversification policy of the Federal Government to participate in international market.

Our correspondent reports that Thursday no fewer than 100 youths from the state attended the training.

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Aliyu, who made the clarification, at the PTF on COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja, explained that the date would be for consideration of resumption of flights.

According to him, Aug. 29 is not sacrosanct but if aviation authorities meet the criteria for resumption on the 29th, they will be given the green light to resume.

The coordinator said: “We will spend a whole day to discuss international travel and how this will be done.”

“We are grateful to CACOVID and it’s partners for helping to support this process, because it would help us to expedite action of the airport.”

“And if I may clarify, we said from the 29th of August, we didn’t say on the 29th of August. So, very similar to what we did for the domestic flights.

“Don’t come back and say that we promised we will open on the 29th, but that date is not sacrosanct; but we will work towards it.

“We will seriously try and deliver it but from the 29th as far as the PTF is concerned, if aviation comes to us and say they are ready from the 29th, we will say please go ahead. If they come back on the 28th, it is too early.”

Earlier, the minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika said that International flights, which were suspended by the nation’s Aviation authorities in the country as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, would resume Aug. 29, 2020.

Sirika said the Nigeria’s international airports had reached advanced stages of preparedness for the resumption of international flight operations.

The minister disclosed that like it was done during the resumption of domestic flights across the country, the international flights would commence with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.

Emphasis, he said, would be placed on the observation of all the safety and technical guidelines as prescribed by global and health authorities, which would be communicated in due course.

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