By Stella Odueme
Minister of State for Youth development, Mr. Olawande Ayodele has urged Nigerian youths not to allow contents they see on social media push them into setting the country ablaze.
Ayodele made this appeal in Abuja when the Renewed Hope Ambassadors of Nigeria led by Veteran nollywood actor, Zark Orji paid him a courtesy visit.
According to the Minister, most of the content on social media are lies been peddled by politicians to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration a bad name.
“We are pleading, we are begging, we are appealing to everybody, we are sure that this country is in a safe hand, we should not allow political people to tell us things that are not correct, we should make sure that this five applications that we are using, facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat are not used as tools to destabilize the country.
“I also want the traders to know that if this thing happens, it will first get to them before anybody. We don’t want people to use this avenue to disrupt the government and the citizens of this country. Yes, you have the right to protest, you have the right to express your displeasure but we are saying that it is time to make research and talk to ourselves and know where these things are affecting us and have a roundtable with the government because this is a listening government.”
A statement by the Director of Press & Public Relations, Mrs. Omolara Esan on Monday in Abuja said that
Ayodele pleaded with Nigerians to rethink their decision and shelve plans to embark on a nationwide protest, assuring the youths that the president mean well for the country.
“A lot of things have been put in place, we have never had it so good that the minimum wage was increased by 130 percent but the president has done that and even approved a three year review against the initial five years, within one year alone, the Tinubu Administration has approved the disbursement of 10billion naira to 36 states and the FCT for the procurement of CNG buses to reduce transportation costs across the country.
“He has also approved 35billion naira student’s loan with a record of 70,000 successful applicants and has also suspended duties, tariffs and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities. We need to love and support the country.”
Speaking earlier, Orji who noted that the planned protest is directionless, warned that it may lead to widespread unrest and instability, deterring investments and stifling economic growth in various sectors including disruption of production and events as well as impacting the livelihoods of many.
He stated: “This directionless protest could lead to widespread unrest and instability, deterring investments and stifling economic growth in various sectors including disrupting production and events, impacting the livelihoods of many.
“Public services and infrastructure might be compromised, further straining healthcare and education. Such protests can also deepen societal divisions, making it harder to achieve unity and address our nation’s challenges.
“Just recently, Kenya chose a similar path and now her citizens wish they had done things differently. We urge citizens to consider these consequences and seek more constructive avenues
for change.”
Noting that the group recognises the challenges and pain faced by many Nigerians because of government policies and actions, Orji maintained that they are hard but necessary choices for the growth of Nigeria.
“From the perspective of Renewed Hope Ambassadors and other
stakeholders, this planned protest from unknown people poses significant risks across Nigeria.
The said protest is being championed by masked entities who want to leverage on the current events to hijack and sabotage the efforts of this administration and we patriotic citizens. In fact, this is an effort to take us back to ground zero.” He added.
According to Orji, Renewed Hope Ambassadors has launched the “Jagaban Will Fix It Nigeria Project” as part of their contrilbution to nation building.
Thie initiative, he explained plans to address concerns through an upcoming town hall meeting for open dialogue and by launching capacity-building initiatives to engage young people and informal sectors in rural areas.
He added: “This project aims to reach 100 communities and empower 5,000 individuals, providing support and opportunities for growth, in FCT and further execute in 36 states.
“We urgently plead with our fellow Nigerians and other stakeholders in the entertainment industry to desist from the planned protest.
“Our platforms and influence can be used to foster unity and advocate for meaningful solutions, rather than actions that may lead to further unrest.
“Let us channel our collective energy towards positive initiatives that contribute to the progress and stability of our nation,” Orji concluded.
