Youths under the auspices of Nigerian Youths Organisation, NYO, have vowed to stage mass protest in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, if government failed to make corrective measures to change the dwindling economic situation in the nation’s capital.
In a press conference tagged: ‘FCT Must be Delivered,’ organised by NYO and Coalition of FCT Youths organisations, the group expressed concern that the FCT administration led by the Minister, Muhammad Bello allegedly blocked key revenue bases of the territory.
Comrade Isreal Opalewa, Chairman of NYO, FCT chapter, who spoke on behalf of the youth organisations, explained that they have been monitoring activities of the FCT and it’s area councils for a while.
Opalewa said that they have come to a conclusion that the failure of the FCT leadership to inaugurate an economic team, in order to boost the economy of the territory, has further made the Territory a failed state.
The youths called on President Muhammad Buhari to make a change of government in the FCT administration or they would not “hesitate to stage peaceful protest that will takeover and shut down the entire FCT.
“The shortfall of revenue generation currently rocking the FCT led administration, demands serious attention, since the All Progressives Congress (APC) is believed to have come with a complete mantra of Change and Next Level that Nigerians yearn for.
“We have forwarded letters to relevant offices for prompt action to be taken and the present FCT administration is battling with governance issues of revenue generation, while the managers of the territory have failed to utilize other glaring opportunities for boosting its economy.
“It may interest you to know that the solution to the dwindling revenue generation in the FCT lies in the willingness of the administration to open up and embrace the numerous opportunities for private sector investments, including some being driven directly by the APC-led federal government,” Opalewa said.
According to the youths organisations, it is no longer news that the revenue generation of the FCT administration has nose dived over the years, and the dreams of the founding fathers of FCT may continue to go down the drain, if the situation of gradual but consistent degradation is allowed to continue.
“The FCT, indeed, has a lot of potentials and investors both within and outside the country are willing to be part of the needed accelerated development that only the private sector can deliver.
“Filters abound within the corporate sectors that investors have a clear preference for setting up businesses within the FCT to take advantage of the various windows created by the Central Bank of Nigeria, but are not receiving due support of the FCT administration.
“We are further worried that a capital city where heads of international High Commission are presently residing is still battling with insecurity, ranging from daily kidnappings, highway robberies and underdevelopment.
“The none opening of business opportunities and administering the affairs of the territory, is the root motivator of youths unrest in the our communities,” he said.
