Young Progressives Party, YPP, Tuesday, staged a peaceful protest in Abuja, calling on the Federal Government to take urgent steps towards alleviating the sufferings of a vast majority of Nigerians.
In a statement issued after the protest, tagged: ‘Advocacy Walk for Good Governance,’ by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Martins Egbeola, the YPP also called for a reduction in the cost of governance, stating that the current structure of governance was no longer sustainable.
The party also called for a reduction in fuel price and electricity tariff, while it called for transparency and accountability in governance, electoral reform and restructuring of the country.
He further urged the government to cut down on the country’s recurrent expenditure in the budget to 50 per cent, stating that it is available to advise the government on how to go about the reduction without laying off any staff.
He said: “We want to call the attention of government to the fact that Nigerians are suffering and the burden is becoming too much to bear. It is insensitive to continue to increase taxes on the masses while the frivolous lifestyles of the ruling class remain unchanged.
“It is time for the government to reassess the cost and structure of governance as the current structure is no longer sustainable and it’s only wise that we embrace the reality of restructuring, else, it will only continue to get worse.
“We challenge the government to cut down recurrent expenditure to 50 per cent and if this government is in doubt on how to achieve it, we are ready to offer free expertise on how to achieve same without a single civil servant losing his or her job.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures and if there is any time that our leaders need to show empathy, it is now.”