Prof Jerome Nyame urges youths to shelf planned protest, asks govt to act fast.
By Mtindiga Daniel
The 2023 Taraba state PDP Gubernatorial aspirant, Professor Jerome Nyameh has called on Nigerians and Tarabans in particular especially Youths, to retreat from the planned nationwide protest intended to end bad governance.
Prof. Jerome disclosed this to journalists in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital.
While making his position known on the planned nationwide protest,Prof Nyameh commended Nigerians especially the youths, for taking a bold step to register their plights to the government adding that, he is happy that the federal government has obliged and is currently making deliberate policies and efforts to cushion the hardships ravaging the country.
“I think, the entire process is well understood. The intended protesters have pushed forth their argument and their argument is that, there is hardship in the land as a result of government policies and they feel that coming together to protest will bring about an end to bad governance.
“Of course, their position is clear and good, they want a change for the system. The federal government also has acknowledged that, those claims put forth by the intended protesters are true and they are doing something to cushion the hardship so that at the end, there will be a good society for all.
“To me personally, for government to acknowledged this very fact and looking at the policies on ground, like the local government financial autonomy which will directly benefit the grassroots, I think we are getting towards achieving certain level of alleviating the people’s sufferings,”
prof. Nyameh stated.
He emphasized the need to make deliberate policies that will directly benefit people at the grassroots owing to the chunk of population they constitute as opposed to those in cities.
“We have 774 local governments and you can agree with me that the population of the grassroots is more than those in the cities and of course, some of these people at the grassroots have not seeing the presence of government but with the era of this financial autonomy, they will see the presence of government and I think that will go a long way to address the challenge of unemployment, youths restiveness among other challenges.
“Similarly, the students’ loan is another good policy. Hitherto we don’t have it so it means that there are deliberate policies capturing even the common man so to me, to have planned for this protest, is very good and for government to acknowledge that this is certain, is also very good. It shows that we are almost at the equilibrium. What we need now is to watch and see and keep voicing out to see to its full implementation,” he advised.
He however thanked Nigerians and Tarabans in particular for putting forth their position. He equally appreciated the government for acknowledging the challenges at hand and further appealed to all to call off the planned protest and allow government to address the challenges they have raised.
He stated that, there would have been need for protest if the government had denied the challenges raised. “Assuming they are denying that there are no problems, that is where there would have been need for protest,” he maintained.
He advised Nigerians to avoid protest especially at this difficult time adding that, it will rather lead to wanton destruction of lives and properties just like during the ENSARS era and what is currently going on in Kenya.
Prof. Nyameh finally advised the federal government to swiftly address the challenges raised to avert further protest and anything negative that would cause regret to the Nation adding that, state governments should also key into embarking on policies and programmes that will benefit even the common man for quite a long period of time.
“Let the protesters keep talking and let the government also continue doing her best so that in the end, all will be sorted amicably. The policies of the federal government are far reaching and I suggest that the state governments should emulate same by developing strategic policies and programmes that would alleviate poverty in the land because they also have the share of the blames.
“I am one party that do not believes on palliatives. Palliatives are not measures to cushion hardship of the people, we have a verse land for agriculture so government should empower citizens to involve in mechanize farming for more food productivity and employments,” he concluded.
