Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has reassured Nigerians that the youth of his state will not be participating in the planned nationwide strike scheduled for August 1 to 10, 2024, News About Nigeria reports.
The strike, organised to protest severe hunger and economic hardships facing the country, has garnered significant attention.
Addressing a town hall meeting in Minna on Thursday, Governor Bago said Niger State’s youth are peaceful people and they do not have an interest in joining the national protest.
“We, as youths of Niger State, have distanced ourselves from the nationwide protest because we are peaceful and want peace and tranquillity,” he stated.
Governor Bago encouraged those advocating for the protest to explore alternative solutions through dialogue and communication.
“You can start demonstrations but you cannot end demonstrations. To youths who are agitating for this protest, let us end these agitations, let us communicate and dialogue on the best way forward,” he advised.
In an effort to mitigate the economic hardship, the governor announced the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of grains to be sold at 50 percent of their current price.
He instructed security agencies to ensure compliance with this directive.
“We have over 100,000 metric tonnes of food in our reserves, out of which we will be releasing 50,000 metric tonnes to be sold at 50 percent of its present price. Before the end of the year, we will slash food prices by 90 percent,” he assured.
Governor Bago reiterated his commitment to local government autonomy and urged local government chairmen to improve their administration, noting that many have failed to pay salaries for a year.
He also said Niger State is financially independent from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“I do not need FAAC in Niger State. The roads I am building and the projects I have undertaken are not being done by FAAC. We are producing, and that is the secret behind what we are doing. There are people who have invested in Niger State for the next five years,” he explained.
The food being distributed at a 50 percent subsidy was initially intended for export but has been redirected to meet the needs of Nigerlites due to the current economic hardship.
Supporting the governor’s stance, the Emir of Bida and Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers of Niger State, Abubakar Yahaya, urged the youth not to be tempted to join the nationwide protest because protests are not the solution.
Additionally, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, encouraged the youth to refrain from participating in the protest and assured them of state-organised programmes for youth engagement.
