By Faridat Salifu
A coalition of youth and civil society groups has warned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to be used for ill-motivated street protests and social media attacks on petroleum regulatory agency’s boss.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, National Vice President of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), ambassador Akoshile Mukthar said, although the removal of fuel subsidy has elicited some unintented challenges, it has succeeded in stabilizing the downstream sector.
He said the reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are ensuring a level playing field for all operators and reducing “monopolistic tendencies that previously plagued the sector”.
Ambassador Mukhtar noted that the removal of fuel subsidy has also paved the way for more private sector investment, leading to increased investment in modular refineries, storage infrastructure, and alternative energy sources.
He wondered how some Nigerians would allow themselves to be used as agents of malicious demonstrations and protests that were targeted at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and its Chief Executive Officer, Engr Farouk Ahmed.
He said the agency has “ensured transparency in licensing, monitoring, and product distribution, a major shift from the opaque and subsidy-riddled system of the past. The agency has also further attracted private sector confidence, leading to increased investment in modular refineries, storage infrastructure, and alternative energy sources.”
It has also managed market regulation with responsibility, ensuring that price competition and availability are not compromised while cushioning shocks through policy interventions.”
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Comrade Mukthar maintained that the allegations of financial impropriety against Engr. Ahmed was untrue, as the claims were unverified, politically motivated, and designed to distract Nigerians from the success story of NMDPRA
”We are aware of the recent demonstrations targeted at Mr Farouk Ahmed and the federal government, some alleging financial impropriety and foreign sponsorship of its children’s education. Let us be clear, these claims are unverified and politically motivated, and they are designed to distract him from the success story he has recorded.
“Even more telling is the fact that some student unions and civil society groups have withdrawn from these protests, having discovered that the facts did not support the claims being made. We urge all Nigerian youth to resist being used as pawns in a battle they do not understand.”
The NYCN National VP, therefore, appealed to Nigerian youth to always engage in policy discussions, advocacy, and civic participation grounded in facts and national interest.
In his remarks, the representative of the Civil Society, Basah Mohammed, stressed that Nigeria can not go back to paying fuel subsidy, which, according to him, was detrimental to the nation’s economy.
”We can not go back to paying money to people whom we don’t know and take that money to where we don’t know. We want to have an energy-sufficient country. We want to have our energy security well-captured, well-structured, and working in the best interest of over 250 million Nigerians, not just a very small cabal that will sit out in the yard somewhere to be sharing our collective patrimony.’
We had a national economy that was bleeding terribly until the president came in and took a stand. And some group of Nigerians had to take that stand and translate it into action and translate it into a regulatory environment that delivers on that mandate. Because that is what the nation needed at that time.”
Mr. Muhammed urged those protesting to allow the NDPRA to perform its duties to enable it to take shape and consolidate on the successes so far.
The coalition consists of NYCN, National Association of Nigerian Students, and many Civil society groups.
