Following the public outcry that the recent removal of fuel subsidy attracted from Nigerians and the attendant loss of revenue occasioned by the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, as well as the fact that the youths are often used to protest against any government policy, a group of Nigerians that believe in the full deregulation policy of the downstream sector by the Jonathan administration have embarked on sensitisation of Nigerian youths on the gains and benefits of the policy.
One of such nationwide advocacy and sensitisation town hall meetings was held at the Hotel Presidential, Enugu last week. Representatives of several youth organisations including the: National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN; National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Nigerian Youth Parliament, NYP; Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN youth wing; National Council of Muslim Youths; Youth empowerment and Leadership Foundation attended the town hall meeting.
The occasion was used to broaden the horizon of the youths on the numerous advantages of the deregulation exercise and its importance to national development. 
The organisers of the forum used the occasion, which attracted youth representatives from all the local government areas in the southeast zone, to educate them on the gains of the exercise.  At the event, reasons why President Goodluck Jonathan took the bold steps on the implementation of the policy were outlined.
All the speakers told the youths numbering over 1, 000, drawn from various local government councils in Enugu State, that the president embarked on the implementation of the policy because he meant well for the country.
According to Dr Ifeanyi Duru, the special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on political matters who was the guest lecturer at the occasion, full deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry would only inflict temporary hardship on the citizens, stating that in the long run Nigerians stand to benefit from the several economic strides that would follow the deregulation exercise.
He explained that the federal government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment, SURE, Programme, would ensure availability of jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the country, as well as attend to the rehabilitation and equipment of our hospitals and schools.  Dr. Duru added that the policy would afford states and local governments to have more resources to attend to their infrastructural and rural development programmes.
He noted that the fuel subsidy regime has continued to bring unnecessary burden on government’s lean purse while promoting corruption in the system. ‘‘The corruption in the system encourages the diversion of the subsidised fuel products to neighbouring countries which were sold at a very cheap rate which is an economic sabotage,’’ he said.
The guest lecturer said because the country was yet to fully deregulate the petroleum downstream sector, there is no competition in the sector making investors shy away from investing in our petrochemical industries, refineries, fertiliser plants and so on, which would have created a lot of job opportunities for Nigerian Youths. He expressed optimism that the reverse is going to be the case, once the sector is fully deregulated, citing the GSM revolution which saw to the liberalisation of the telecommunication industry. Concluding, Dr Duru emphasised that the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector would after initial pains, usher in great economic value to the nation.
The facilitator of the advocacy/sensitisation town hall meeting for youths in Enugu State, Mr Uche Okoh pleaded with the Nigerian youths to continue to have faith in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration because his policies and programmes, especially the current deregulation exercise is meant to provide a better future for them and the country. He urged them to avoid being used as stooges in achieving the selfish interest of politicians, who are eager to advance their political ego at the expense of developing the nation.
The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting saw the youths embracing the policy having been convinced of the benefits that would accrue to them through its successful implementation. 
The communiqué states in part, “We express support for government’s SURE programme and the prioritisation of the various projects for implementation across the federation, listed in the SURE document.” It believes that if these projects are executed within the target period, the Nigerian people will be better off.
The youths however suggested the setting up of a monitoring committee for the implementation of the laudable programmes. The communiqué added, “We recommend the establishment of monitoring committees for the various states on the implementation of the proceeds of the subsidy, as a way to ensuring that the benefits of the subsidy reach the grassroots.” The youths also advised that the immediate gains from the fuel deregulation exercise be channeled to the rehabilitation of the Enugu/ Onitsha road and the Enugu/ Port Harcourt express ways, which are currently in a state of disrepair.