The Centre for Ethical Rebirth Among Young People (CERANY), an NGO, on Tuesday underscored the need for a roundtable between the Federal Government and youth leaders, to address the raging #ENDSARS protests.
A statement by the President of CERANY, Mr Chuks Akamadu, said that the centre endorsed the legitimacy and wishes to associate itself with the wave of peaceful protest against police brutality.
According to him, the action is patriotic and indicative of collective resolve by young people of Nigeria to ensure a better nation for themselves.
Akamadu said: “We are, however, worried that the peaceful protests ,which is a right of all citizens, appears to be turning into dimension that can make such unacceptable through infiltration by subversive element.
Thereby, turning a tar brush of what ordinarily should be in the best interests of the nation.
“In view of this, CERANY wishes to urge the youths to discontinue the protest forthwith and give government benefit of doubt and reasonable time to address germane concerns they have raised.
“This will be in the overall interest of the nation, since it is common knowledge that the concerns predate the current administration of the country.
“In the same vein, CERANY wishes to propose immediate conveyance of a National Youth Leaders Conference (NYLC), with the mandate to articulate the concerns of young people and engage government in roundtable.”
He said that the objective of the conference is designed to enable government and the youth work closely together as partners in progress, to ensure speedy consideration and achieve action plan.
According to him, the conference initiative has become critical because there is no other country that the youths can freely live and exercise their fundamental rights as their fatherland.
Furthermore, he commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s exemplary democratic leadership, in terms of taking the steps toward the disbandment of SARS.
He described the president’s action as a welcome development and right step towards comprehensive Police reform in the country. (NAN)