From Ahmed Muhammed Danasabe, Lokoja
Youth under the aegis of Kogi Youth Call for Awareness on Wednesday staged a protest against the prolonged shutdown of MTN services in the state, which they said has plunged residents into hardship and an economic crisis.
The protesting youths, in large numbers, blocked the Ganaja Road in Lokoja, Kogi State, calling on the state government to engage in dialogue with the telecommunications company to resolve whatever issues may have led to the suspension of MTN operations in the state.
Speaking during the protest, the convener, Comrade Edicha Aso, lamented that residents, particularly those in Lokoja, the state capital, have endured untold hardship over the past three weeks due to the unavailability of MTN’s network.
“It is a fact that over 80 percent of Kogi residents rely on the MTN network for their daily transactions. Many even depend on it to sustain their families. Unfortunately, in the past three weeks, MTN has failed to provide services to its numerous customers in the state,” he said.
“To make matters worse, Glo and Airtel, the alternative service providers, often experience network fluctuations, leaving subscribers in a precarious situation.”
He appealed to both the Kogi State Government and MTN to urgently intervene and resolve the crisis.
“We are pleading with the government to dialogue with MTN. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The people of Kogi should not be made to bear the brunt of this conflict,” Aso added.
He stressed that the current economic hardship is already overwhelming for many residents, and the lack of network connectivity is worsening the situation.
“Businesses are down, and business owners are struggling. We need immediate action,” he concluded.