Subsidy removal: Christian youths urge FG to institute cheaper mass transportation scheme
By Uchenna Eletuo
An interest group, Christian Youths in Politics (CYP), on Wednesday, called on the Federal Government to put in place a cheaper mass transportation scheme to ease movements of citizens in the country.
The faith-based group, which made the call at a news conference in Lagos, said that such a measure would be a better way of cushioning the harsh effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the news conference was aimed at appraising some national issues, particularly as they concerned the youth, and charting ways forward.
NAN also reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) had on Tuesday announced an increase in the price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, to N617 per litre.
The increase in petrol pump price had since generated public outcry, with critics saying that it would lead to corresponding increase in prices of goods and services.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of Christian Pressure Group, Ms Princess Kolawole, said the removal of fuel subsidy and its attendant hike in fuel pump price had made movements of youths from one point to another difficult.
According to her, youths are mobile in nature and will want to explore opportunities within and outside of their immediate environments to improve their social status.
“But, with the high cost of transportation, people are finding it difficult to move around to fend for themselves and their dependants, thereby disrupting their lives and businesses.
“With the provision of a cheap mass transit scheme, especially in major cities of the country by government, it will ease the social life of the citizens and give them a sense of belonging,” she said.
In her own contribution, a Board of Trustee (BOT) member of CYP, Dr Oluwatosin Aderogu, said that government should consider other alternatives to making transportation from one location to another easier.
Aderogu listed the available alternatives to include an integrated rail system, use of gas and costal transportation system, saying that these would improve the present harsh conditions of Nigerians.
She, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for the positive policies and programmes which his administration had carried out within a short period.
Aderogu noted that the body, apart from fostering harmonious co-existence among the nation’s youth, irrespective of religion, would continue to champion people-friendly policies for government to implement. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Fatima Sule Abdullahi and ‘Wale Sadeeq
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