By Temitope Hassan
An ongoing protest has rocked Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, over hike in price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol and scarcity of naira notes.
The protesters on Friday, February 3, 2023, blocked Iwo Road, which is one of the busiest roads in the state, lamenting the current situation in the country.
The ongoing incident has caused gridlock along the axis and many commuters and motorists have been left stranded.
Nigerians have been subjected to unnecessary hardship over the newly redesigned Naira notes and fuel scarcity in the country.
On Thursday, some youths under the aegies of Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) described the situation as unacceptable and no longer tolerable, adding that Nigerians are going through double hardship as fuel scarcity and new naira notes crippled the nation’s socioeconomic activities.
The Youths while speaking through the leader of YYC, Eric Oluwole, in a statement, after its meeting, said the Federal Government should put an end to the avoidable, unnecessary, crippling and pain-inducing fuel and naira shortages in the country.
Oluwole noted the situation if not addressed might be an introduction to revolution like the #EndSARS demonstrations which grounded socioeconomic activities nationwide for many days with undesirable consequences.
According to the statement, the majority of the Nigerian people are complaining about the hardship they are facing over shortage of Naira notes and transactions in the banks and are unable to withdraw needed amount to address their urgent personal and other needs.
The statement recalled especially the now-viral video of a woman who went naked in the bank because she was unable to get the money.
Oluwole said in the statement: “People are dying in the hospital because they are unable to get enough money they kept in the bank for their health and other maintenance.
“The PoS outlets are either not dispensing the new notes or charging extra cash for them and the money is not even available”.
Oluwole however, advised the CBN to work hard by circulating more money to the commercial banks and change the mode of its operation in order to reduce the hardship.
The statement added that “the worrisome fuel scarcity and exorbitant prices across the country is another problem which also demands the urgent attention of the Federal Government.
“Transport fares had tripled while people have been forced to adopt trekking both as an exercise regimen as well as a way to fill in the gap left by unavailable cash.
“The situation, barely tolerable, is worsened by the directive on new Naira notes as people can barely find enough money to meet their needs”
Oluwole advised Yoruba youths to remain calm and embrace peace and asked the youths to start campaigning about “an affiliated group called “Youth Awake Now (YAN) saying this is a group that will change Nigeria for good and will hold its maiden meeting next week.
Source: intelregion
