…Our Constituency Dialogue With Youths Productive
By Shakirudeen Bankole
The Federal Government of Nigeria has agreed that the violent outburst among youths experienced during the anti-police brutality protests in the country, also known as #EndSARS, might not be unconnected with many unaddressed social injustices over the years.
Admitting on the NTA Good Morning Nigeria Show on Monday,
Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, and Dr. Muhammad Mamood Abubakar, Minister of environment, agreed that the destruction and looting that followed the largely peaceful protest wouldn’t have happened, had their been an existing mutual trust, especially an assurance to deliver on promises made by the government to the genuine protesters.
The duo however said in an attempt to restore citizen’s trust in the current administration, President Muhammadu Buhari, in addition to his N75 Billion Empowerment Funds for the youths, and promise of massive employment, has commissioned all his cabinet Ministers to embark on Constituency Dialogue Meeting with the youths, in an attempt to further understand their yearnings and how best and fast to meet them.
Delivering on the assignment, Ohanire, from Edo State, and Abubakar, who hails from Kaduna State, both disclosed that their interaction with the youths in their constituencies, have also revealed the urgency with which it requires to provide employment opportunities for millions of Nigerian youths.
He said the peaceful protest was clearly hijacked by youths, mostly criminally minded, and some unemployed.
According to them, their dialogues have been concluded and reports of their additional findings would be submitted to the President anytime from now.
The Minister of Health, said during the dialogue, he found out that “many youths felt disconnected from the government. They have this feelings that nobody –government feels, or cares for them. They felt abandoned, and cheated.
“They said it’s like buying shoe for someone without asking the person their shoes size. But they were grateful the FG sent Ministers to meet them and discuss with them,” he added.
Ehanire however reiterated concerns over the sensitivity of the security twist to the development, stressing that “1,193 prisons escaped from Jailbreak that happened in Edo State ” during the crisis.
He said out of the lot, “about 38 people with dangerous profile and accusations, have been rearrested.
“The situation is still tensed. There are concerns to quickly fish out those that are on longer jail terms over heinous crimes they have committed,” he added.
On his part, Abubakar said while his constituency in Kaduna didn’t experience much of #EndSARS protest and violence, the area has been plagued by insecurity and the youths were very concerns.
“Besides insecurity,” according to him, “the youths are also clamourong for productive enaggement — employment. In all of the crisis in the region, insecurity is the most disturbing and it is being fuelled by unemployment,” he added.
While the government continues to make efforts, Abubakar also admonished the youth to tap into their innovative minds to bring out job creating enterprises.
“The youth have issues with employment. One of them was talking about the fact that the government was not employing enough.
“That may be true. But I told them government alone can not provide enough employment for the people. I told them to also try and be able to be employer of labour themselves,” he added
