Nigerian youths decry unemployment              Photo courtesy

Whereas the problem of  youth unemployment in Nigeria has reached most alarming proportions and in 2011 elections, almost  all candidates and political parties in the country promised the electorate that they would provide solutions if they were elected or by any other means found themselves in the positions of authorities they sought.

Unfortunately more than 100 days in the life of the new administrations, not much has been seen by way of seriousness on the part of the federal as well as state governments towards generating the employment that the president, governors and legislators promised the long-suffering masses of Nigeria.

The result is that while more than 85% of all Nigerian graduates who are yearly churned out of our numerous universities, polytechnics and colleges roam the streets in search of jobs to the extent that our daughters and sisters are turning to prostitution. A frontline senator was even reported to have called for the legalization of prostitution. The youths go about in search of jobs amidst hunger and deprivation, while the legislators both at the federal and state levels continue to enjoy their outrageously fat salaries, numerous allowances and holidays. The state governors continue to collect their billions of Naira by way of so called security votes. As if to rub salt on a painful injury, the government is bent on removal of what it calls subsidy on petroleum products.

President Jonathan, whose office should be setting a good example in providing succor to the masses just finished  a retreat with the private sector and would have us believe that it  is the duty of the private sector to provide employment for Nigerians. He has assured the nation that on its part, the federal government will provide about 400,000 jobs within the next 4 years. More than 40 million Nigerian youths are jobless.

Meanwhile, inflation is on the increase and is sure to astronomically increase if what the government calls subsidy is removed to ensure radical  concomitant increase in the price of petroleum products and further spill over on all other commodities and services to turn life for the Nigerian masses into pure hell.

Every day, former governors and speakers are being paraded before  television  cameras and being charged in our deliberately snail-paced courts except when they want to jail the poor man caught committing petty theft. The former governors and speakers are always accused of stealing billions (never millions……that is too small for their thieving attention) of Naira and nothing really ever comes out of the charges, while  the government  continues to refuse to pay the paltry N18,000 minimum wage.

The unemployed Nigerian graduates and other skilled and unskilled Nigerians must continue to feel hungry like everyone else.  When they are sick, they certainly need medical attention like everyone else, they need housing accommodation, clothing, and other things just like everyone else. While going about looking for the ever elusive employment, they need transportation, telephone services and so on.

We  put forward the following propositions:

1.All unemployed Nigerian youths must  be paid monthly unemployment allowance of not  less than  the N18,000 minimum wage pending such a time as government and its collaborating private sector shall provide them employment.

2. The security votes of the state governors and all amounts above the salaries of senior lecturers in Nigerian universities from the salaries and allowances of the federal and state legislators should be pooled together in a Nigerian unemployment youth fund from which the unemployment allowances should be paid to the teaming unemployed Nigerian youth who wish to work but cannot find employment.

3.The reports of all panels and commissions of enquiries set up over the years by government must all be made public forthwith and all indicted of stealing public monies be compelled by law to refund  monies so stolen to the Nigerian nation from where all development needs of the nation would be met.

4. All calls for foreign investment to Nigeria must cease pending the full pursuit and recovery of all stolen pubic funds after which it will be determined if the nation has any need at all for foreign capitals to meet its development needs.

5. All unemployed Nigerian are advised to:

• Constitute themselves into groups wherever they reside and list their names, qualifications, skills and job preferences
• Elect a chairman and a secretary from amongst them who would be furnished with the addresses and contacts (including phone numbers and email address where available) for purposes of communication and coordination.
• Get familiar with their representatives at the national and state assemblies as peaceful demonstrations and other peaceful persuasive activities shall be embarked upon from 1st January 2012 to compel government to commence the payment of the said monthly unemployment allowances to unemployed Nigerian youths.

6.No president, Vice president, Governor, Deputy Governor, Senator, Representative, Minister, Commissioner, Director…in fact no government functionary whomsoever should go for medical treatment outside the borders of Nigeria and no son or daughter or ward of any government functionary should further their education outside Nigeria as this appears to be the only way to get government to give education and healthcare the priority they deserve in Nigeria

By Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu
Facilitator
Peoples Movement for a New Nigeria (PMNN)