Over 50-Arewa Youths Call For Dialogue To Resolve Issues, Reject Protests

Fifty youth groups from the 19 Northern States, under the auspices of Coalition of Northern Youths Consultative Movement (CNYCM), have appealed for dialogue instead of the planned nationwide protest.

The groups said they acknowledge the controversies surrounding the planned protest are a natural aspect of democracy but the Coalition is encouraging all parties to embrace the diversity of opinions and work towards a common goal, a better Nigeria.

The Coalition said despite the current economic and security hardship threatening to undermine the progress of Nigeria, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has made tremendous achievements within the first one year in office.

Addressing a briefing in Kaduna on Saturday, General Secretary and the Kaduna State Coordinator of the Coalition, Comrade Yusuf Musa Audu and Bilal Galadima respectively, CNYCM highlighted some of the giant strides of the Tinubu’s government to include, increase of minimum wage to N70,000, introduction of students’ loan policy and granting local government autonomy among others.

According to the groups: “Recent developments, particularly the planned protests against bad governance, have created an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty nationwide.

“The escalating hardship, characterized by skyrocketing costs of food, medicine, and basic commodities, has pushed many ordinary Nigerians to the brink.

“Furthermore, the deteriorating insecurity in the country, especially in the northern region, has led to a surge in criminal activities among youth, including kidnapping and armed robbery,” he said.

They however urged the government to take immediate action to address the pressing issues, ensure the safety and well-being of citizens, and create opportunities for the youths to thrive.

“We are appealing for dialogue because of the notable achievements of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, despite the current hardship threatening to undermine its progress.

“It is essential to recognize the strides made so far, including: the increment of the minimum wage to N70,000, enhancing the welfare of Nigerian workers; the granting of autonomy to Local Governments, promoting grassroots development; the reduction of fuel importation by 51.4% and subsidy removal, aimed at economic deregulation and the facilitation of daily direct flights to London by Air Peace, resulting in lower ticket prices.

⁠”Other achievements of the administration include;  the collaboration with Meta to enable Nigerian content creators to monetize their content on Facebook from June 2024; the eradication of passport scarcity, reduction of application, renewal, and collection time to under two weeks, and the impending introduction of contactless biometric processes and the signing of the 2023 Electricity Bill into Law, ending federal monopoly in the power sector.

“We urge the government to sustain these achievements and address the pressing issues of hardship and insecurity to ensure a better future for Nigerian youth. CNYCM urge the government, stakeholders, and leaders of Civil Society to put aside their differences and engage in constructive dialogue.

“We must work together to address our grievances and find common ground for a united front, ensuring a Nigeria that thrives for all. We call on President Bola Tinubu to urgently reassess his cabinet and inject action-oriented ministers.

“We recommend the inclusion of proven performers like Nyesom Wike and Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, whose impact is evident to Nigerians. With more ministers like them, the need for protests would be mitigated.