The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) on Sunday cautioned its members against participating in actions that could undermine the federal government as the August 1 nationwide draws closer.
Several youth groups had recently made public their intention to hold a nationwide protest under the hashtag #EndBadGovernance, to draw governments’ attention to the current economic hardship in the country.
President Bola Tinubu as well as Nigerian governors and traditional rulers had recently appealed to the organisers to call off the protest, assuring that the current administration was doing everything to alleviate the economic difficulties facing the country.
In a statement in Abuja, NARTO President, Yusuf Othman, emphasised that the association would not support any protest led by anonymous organisers unwilling to engage in dialogue with the government.
He urged NARTO members to remain focused on their professional responsibilities and avoid being influenced by individuals with hidden agendas.
Othman acknowledged the economic hardships in the country but noted that the current administration was actively addressing the challenges.
He stated: “We recognise the economic difficulties, but we also see the administration’s sincere efforts to tackle these issues. We will not support actions that disrupt the movement of petroleum products and the haulage of goods and services.”
He also expressed concern that a 10-day protest, as planned by the #EndBadGovernance organisers, would severely damage the economy, which is still in a fragile state.
Othman called on NARTO members to demonstrate patriotism and patience, give the administration time to stabilise the economy for the nation’s collective benefit.
“We urge the group to channel their grievances through the appropriate and legitimate means for quick resolution by the government. We don’t support any violent means as it will not augur well for the country,” he stressed.
Emmanuel Addeh
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