A prominent body of young people, the Enugu Innovative Youths has called for calm and suspension of the proposed national protest proposed to start from Thursday, August 1.
The youths made their stand known in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in the Enugu State capital at the weekend.
Presenting the communiqué, Chairman of the group, Collins Nonso, said: “Nigeria is currently experiencing serious challenges owing to the hunger and financial downturn occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, coupled with high cost of food and the depreciation of the naira.
“The Nigerian youths, who are presumed to be the leaders of tomorrow, have been found in a state of helplessness and despondency, owing to the blurring of their hitherto bright future
“However, while the proposed nationwide protest is justifiable, owing to the current state of affairs of our country, we call for a rethink and retreat from the proposed protest by our youths.
“Importantly, we call for peace and calmness in Enugu State. We strongly appeal that it is rather very premature in our state, which is currently experiencing a breath of fresh air in all sectors under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah. Our future has never been this bright.”.
They expressed serious concerns over a possible repeat of the 2020 #EndSARS protest when, according to them, hoodlums hijacked and used the process of an otherwise peaceful protest to unleash destruction and terror on the state.
“Enugu State is our own and one of the most peaceful and productive states of the federation. We cannot relapse to a state of anarchy and a reversal of the infrastructural gains of the last 14 months, which the nationwide protest will plunge us into.
“We are aware that any protest in Enugu will destroy our common heritage which Governor Mbah is assiduously working to revive by his massive infrastructural projects.
“Enugu youths must, therefore, resist any attempt to destroy or deface the aesthetics, beauty and ambience of Enugu that the Governor Mbah leadership stellar is restoring to the Coal City,” the youths added.
They also expressed deep concerns over the safety of the youth, many of whom could lose their lives had happened during the ENDSARS protest.
“We are also aware that Enugu State Government has plans for more job creation for the youths through its strategic programmes and training of our youths in tech and entrepreneurship development, among others. We must not lose our lives to any protest, but must be beneficiaries of the lofty vision,” the group stated.
They also called on the federal government and the Enugu State Government to engage the youths in a heart-to-heart dialogue on the best way to drastically reduce the unemployment rate and poverty headcount index among the youths.