Shelve protest, Niger Delta ex-agitators beg youths

National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-agitators (NCNDE-A) have urged youths to shelve the protest planned for Thursday.

The coalition with Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), who spoke yesterday in Abuja, said the call followed need to back and not attack government.

Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanakpe Israel (Akpodoro), said the government is putting measures in place to cushion effects of the suffering.

He noted that the Federal Government allocated N438 billion to the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Nigerian Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-Cares) Programme.

According to him, ‘‘there is nothing wrong with a peaceful demonstration, what is unacceptable is a premeditated attempt by faceless individuals on the payroll of subversive elements to destabilise the country and incite people to violence and carnage.’’

He said: ‘’In as much as we acknowledge there’s hardship in the land, it is obvious criminal elements are behind the call for anarchy and this is why we are calling on Nigerians to shun enemies of Nigeria.

‘’Patriotic citizens should heed our call for understanding and support for the government and shun calls by fifth columnists for a protest that won’t add value to us as a nation rather it will set us back

‘’There has always been hunger in our land, and societies all over the world are segmented. This government is trying to perfect imperfections in our polity. Our support is germane to peace, growth, and development of Nigeriia.

‘‘Government is putting measures in place to cushion effects of the harsh economy through the federating units by sending palliatives, one of which was the N438 billion to the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for Nigerian Community Action For Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-Cares) Programme.

‘‘Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG CARES) Programme renamed Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) is World Bank-supported with a credit of $750 million. Its objective is to expand access to livelihood support, food security services and grants for poor households and firms.

‘‘Trucks with bags of grains were distributed just last week to states to palliate the hardship and these are happening on the side of action to revive a stable and sustainable economic growth. What we are saying is there are grounds for the people to support this government and not to pull down our nation’’, he said.