The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) says Nigerian youths will embark on hunger strike if the government goes ahead with the planned removal of fuel subsidy.
Olawale Ajani, the council’s newly appointed transitional chairman, said in Abuja that the NYCN “has declared November 11 as a hunger strike day for young people and women because of the proposed removal of fuel subsidy.”www.mannastores.com
He said any attempt to remove the subsidy would be resisted and called for solidarity in the struggle from other Nigerians.
Mr Ajani said the government has not come up with what it planned to do if the subsidy was removed, pointing out that the consequences of removing it would be unbearable for the youth.
“This is the only palliative measure for the youth and the masses.
“If the government goes ahead to remove the subsidy, it shows that there is no reason why the youth should call themselves Nigerians as we are not benefiting anything from the government.”
The youth leader expressed dismay at a situation where majority of the youth were unemployed and would be made to bear the burden of subsidy removal.
“There is nothing for the youth, no jobs and the paltry measure the government is giving us, they want to remove it.”
Ajani appealed to the government not to go ahead with the proposal as it would affect Nigerians and make many of the youth vulnerable to some social vices.
“The president should not remove the subsidy; this was not part of the agreement we had when we voted for him.
“We had the opportunity to vote for other candidates but majority of the youth voted for the president because he shared our aspiration.”
He said the youth had resolved to embark on a protest to press home their demand for the retention of fuel subsidy before going on hunger strike.
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