By George Onah

Port Harcourt- South-South Youth Leaders Forum has faulted the planned introduction of economic measures by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan which, it noted, would further impoverish Nigerians.

The forum took a swipe at the planned removal of fuel subsidy, increase in electricity tariff and re-introduction of toll gates across the country. The group said with these policies, it was clear that the President was being “ill-advised by those who do not mean well for the leadership and people.”

The forum, in a statement by Ambassador Amachree Odiedim, yesterday, said the action of the government does not “portray the ‘fresh air,’ promised by the President during his campaign for the office he now occupies.”

The forum wants President Jonathan to weed his cabinet of anti-peoples’ advisers, who had polluted his mind with the intention of causing the people to rise against “these unpopular policies that would soon cause unpleasant reactions from the people.”

The statement reads: “We condemn in strong terms, moves by the Federal Government to drag Nigerians seven years backward by the planned re-introduction of toll gates on our highways on the excuse that such fees will enable them improve the state of our roads.

“We remember vividly that former President Olusegun Obasanjo abolished toll gates in Nigeria, saying removal of fuel subsidy will put too much burden on Nigerians. Yet this administration which claims to have a human face seeks to roughen Nigerians so hard with its plan to re-introduce tolls, increase electricity tariff and still remove fuel subsidy.

“The President should remember that the good people of Nigeria voted him into power to transform this nation and improve the living condition of poor Nigerians and reduce hunger to the minimum. We also want the President to know that although he is our son, protests against inhuman policies of his administration shall commence from the South-South.”