The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), has criticised the federal government over the incessant hike in the prices of petroleum products, saying that it is not the fault of the messes that the refineries are not working.
Rising from a meeting held in Katsina State to review the state of the nation, the AYCF in a press statement said that the talakawas in the North and the less privileged in the South are tired of suffering.
Part of the statement reads: “We frown at the deliberate and criminal neglect of the Nigerian youths which has made it almost possible to allow peace and tranquility to reign supreme in this country.”
The statement signed by the Deputy National Public Relations Officer of the AYCF, Ahmed Dakata, explained that the current degree of starvation, hunger, poverty and unemployment has been heightened by the recent increase in the price of petroleum products.
This according to them would take criminal activities beyond the control of the federal government and security agents as it will increase criminality activities and the multiplier effects on the economy and stability of the nation.
“We state that the leadership of this nation has since its inception in 1999, remained largely insensitive to the plight of the entire people of this country, which does not augur well for nation building,” they said.
They said further that the leadership must accept blame for the state of the refineries no matter how unpalatable this might be.
The organisation noted that the constant increase in the prices of petroleum products has affected the prices of staple food items and transport which according to them has ushered in hyper-inflation into the economy that will hamper growth and development.
The AYCF urged the federal government to emulate its counterparts in the USA, Germany, Canada, and South Africa among others, which do not take pride in the suffering of its citizens.
On the situation in the Niger Delta, the organisation called on the youths to take it easy as violence does not favour anyone or give solution to the problems.
The AYCF also charged the federal government to take urgent steps to stop the situation in the region from escalating into a full blown war.
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