The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Cross River has appealed to youth in the state to refrain from participating in the 10 #DaysOfRage of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest planned to commence on 1st of August nationwide. The NYCN Cross River chapter made this appeal on Monday in the state capital through her state Chair, Comr. Emmanuel Olayi, during a Cross River Youth Town Hall Meeting themed Dialogue over Protest 2024 which held at the Youth House NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
In the place of the planned peaceful protest, Comr Olayi who called for dialogue and other forms of engagement offered 6 alternatives to the state government including, reactivation of scholarships board and implementation, Bursaries, Agricultural and Entrepreneurship Aid, Job opportunities, Health insurance scheme and infrastructural development. Below is the full script of the speech he presented to a cross section of youth in the state capital.
๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป, ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: July 28, 2024
๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐: Appeal to Cross River State Youths: Refrain from Participating in Planned Nationwide Protest
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ,
I address you today as the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Cross River State Chapter, with a deep sense of responsibility and concern. In light of the prevailing challenges in our nation, there is a planned nationwide protest against bad governance. While the frustrations and grievances that fuel such actions are understood, I appeal to all youths in Cross River State to refrain from participating in this protest.
The recent history of protests, particularly the #๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ movement, provides a stark reminder of how well-intentioned actions can be hijacked by elements with malicious intent, leading to violence, destruction, and loss of lives and properties. We cannot afford a repeat of such tragic events.
While acknowledging the severe economic difficulties and the pressures faced by our people, I believe that protest, in this instance, may not be the most effective means of advocating for change. Instead, I call for a more constructive approach through dialogue and engagement.
I assure you that my team and I are committed to addressing your concerns. We are actively engaging with youths across the state to gather first-hand information about your challenges and aspirations. This grassroots approach ensures that we have a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.
We are advocating for the following measures to alleviate the hardships faced by our youths:
1. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: The leadership of the youths thank the government for reactivating the Scholarships programme and we also urge His Excellency to ensure that the scholarships are readily available and accessible to the youths of Cross River State to promote education and skill development.
2. ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Providing financial support to Cross River students and youths to ease their academic burdens and encourage higher education.
3. ๐๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฑ: Offering funding and resources to support youth involvement in agriculture and entrepreneurship, fostering self-reliance and economic growth.
4. ๐๐ผ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Creating employment opportunities for young people by advertising and recruiting into the State Civil Service.
5. ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ: Expanding the Cross River Health Insurance Scheme to cover young Cross Riverians, including artisans and unemployed youths, ensuring access to essential healthcare services.
6. ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: We commend the current administration for their strides in Infrastructural development and we urge them to Continue and even expand in key critical infrastructural projects to cover more rural areas, thereby improving living standards and economic opportunities for all.
Additionally, we call on the authorities at the local government level to engage with youths in their respective LGAs. Addressing the issues affecting youths at the grassroots level is crucial for fostering a peaceful and harmonious society. By working together, we can build a better Cross River State for everyone.
Above all, ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ง. As a council and as leaders, we must do everything within our power to sustain peace. It is through dialogue, not protest, that we can achieve meaningful progress.
Rest assured, we will relay your concerns directly to the appropriate authorities with the urgency they deserve. Our goal is to ensure that your voices are heard and that concrete actions are taken to alleviate the hardships we all experience.
In conclusion, I appeal to your sense of responsibility and patriotism. Let us choose dialogue over protest, and constructive engagement over confrontation. Together, we can work towards a better Cross River State and a more prosperous Nigeria.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Yours in Service,
๐๐ถ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต๐ณ๐๐น๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฟ. Olayi Emmanuel
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป, ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ
