The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has given President Bola Tinubu an eight item demand to ameliorate the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, ahead of the August 1 planned protest.
The eight items, according to the youth council are: Transparency and accountability; healthcare access; education and skill development; agricultural support; youth intervention program; economic relief measures; national youth conference and meeting with National Security Adviser (NSA).
At a press conference held on Monday in Abuja, Vice President (North East) of the NYCN, Bishop Douglas Kanatapwa, who spoke on behalf of the organization’s leadership, said President Tinubu’s initiatives to enhance the national economy and update obsolete systems have substantially raised the cost of living, creating hardships for many, particularly the youth.
Kanatapwa said: “The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) stands for over 120 million Nigerian youths both at home and abroad. We are here to discuss the planned nationwide hunger protests and share our recommendations with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the economic challenges in Nigeria.
“We recognize President Tinubu’s efforts to improve the national economy and modernize outdated systems. However, these changes have significantly increased the cost of living, making life difficult for many, especially the youth. Many young people are struggling with unemployment and underemployment.
“These tough conditions have led many youths to support the planned hunger protests. The protest has gained strong backing from various youth leaders. Our National Executive Council (NEC), the 36 State Chapters, the FCT, the 774 LGAs, and our 104 affiliate organizations are all feeling the pressure to support the protest. This requires immediate action from NYCN leadership.
“We are also concerned that NYCN is being left out of important national programs and projects that require youth involvement. Despite our support for national development and President Tinubu’s plans, NYCN has not been included in key meetings and discussions.
“To address these issues, we have developed the following demands and recommendations to tackle economic hardships and reduce tension:
“Government at the Federal and State level should swing into action to reduce prices of daily consumable goods like bread, garri, beans, yam, rice etc, to enable the downtrodden feed
