Senate Calls for State of Emergency on Unemployment

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Senate has called for a declaration of a state of emergency on the provision of employment to the youths of Nigeria.

This call was made Senator Ike Ekweremadu at the plenary on Wednesday, December 11, citing Orders 42 and 52, so as to spur the government to action about the biting rate of unemployment facing the nation’s most vibrant population.

The motion received a lot of support, chiefly by Senator Istifanus Gyang who said that the situation has brought about a trauma of hopelessness, even for educated Nigerians.

He said, “Many of our youths are well read, have multiple certificates and still unemployed. The government of Nigeria should declare a state of emergency on unemployment in this country so that all hands will be on deck and deliberate steps must be taken to ensure we rescue Nigerian youths that are in the state of trauma.”

“It is important to ensure that the private sector is empowered to provide an enabling environment to create employment for our youths,” he added.

Senator Biodun Olujimi, on her part supported the call saying, “We must declare an emergency on unemployment. There is a limit to age when it comes to employment. The emergency is as good as being declared now because something has to be done.”

Senator Smart Adeyemi also noted that it was a serious issue and that funding was a major contribution to this in the country.

“Banks in Nigeria contributed in no small measure to unemployment in Nigeria. They do not give credit facility to young Nigerians to run business. This is a complex problem. Let us look at the banking sector. In addressing unemployment, we must look at funding, which is important,” he said.

The upper legislative arm has also resolved to urge the Federal Government through the Ministry of National Planning to put up a mechanism and programme that will provide employment for the country’s teeming unemployed graduates across all tiers of government.

There was also a resolution to revitalize existing industries, build new ones and provide a conducive and enabling environment for the private sector to build more industries.

The senate also resolved to urge the federal government to initiate a sustainable unemployment fund for the payment of living stipends to unemployed Nigerians until such persons secure any kind of employment.