joshuaKogi NYCN Chairman Condemns Increase In Petrol Prices, Says it Will Aggravate Poverty
The Kogi State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comr. Ben Jerry has strongly criticized the recent increase in petroleum pump prices, warning that it will worsen poverty among the masses particularly the teeming youths.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NYCN Chairman urged the Federal Government to immediately reverse the price hike, strengthen the naira, and take actions to alleviate Nigerians’ suffering.
Comr. Ben Jerry condemned the price increase as being implemented without consulting key stakeholders, showing disregard for the welfare of Nigerians, particularly coming shortly after a promise by the Federal government that it would implement minimum wage to cushion the earlier increase .
He warned that the hike in fuel and electricity costs will exacerbate existing hardships and could lead to social unrest.
The NYCN Chairman also expressed concern over a 250 percent rise in electricity tariffs, questioning the timing and scale of the increase.
The NYCN Chairman criticized the fact that ordinary citizens particularly the Youth demography who are unemployed are bearing the brunt of rising living costs while those in power benefit from increased allocations.
Ben Jerry emphasized the need for policies that improve the naira’s value and provide meaningful social security measures to support the poorest citizens.
