Former lawmaker representing Ondo Central at the Senate, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has hailed the youths in the state for distancing themselves from the nationwide protest thus maintaining the peaceful ambience of the state.
Akinyelure, in a statement personally signed by him urged the youths in the state to continue resisting the temptation to join in the protest.
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According to him, the youths and people of the state have been able to avert violence which is the outcome of the protest in some states, urging them to stick to their decision not to join in the protest scheduled to hold within the first ten days of August.
He, however, assured the youths that the state government will soon engage youths in the state through its employment scheme saying unemployment will soon be a thing of the past.
The statement read: “I wish to sincerely thank all the youths of Ondo state in general and Ondo central in particular for conducting themselves peacefully and orderly during the first few days of national protest on hunger and unemployment throughout the nooks and crannies of our great nation, Nigeria.
“You are very wonderful that you conducted yourself as a true indegenes of Ondo State by not engaging in any destruction of private and public properties of any kind throughout the length and breath of Ondo State.
“Let me use this medium to assure you that very soon youth unemployment will be a thing of the past in Ondo state and in Nigeria in general.
“The planned programs of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR when fully rolled out and implemented, I am sure the people of our great country will be celebrating him as a great leader of our time.
“That is why I have stayed in Abuja more this period to give support indirectly to his administration to succeed by working underground as the National Committee Chairman of voices of supporters of Tinubu-Shettima government with my other distinguished 15 Senators colleagues from six geopolitical zones of the country.
“We are working seriously to develop some youth empowerment programs that will soon be unfolded in all the six geopolitical zones of our great Nation with the approval of National Chairman of APC to make a big difference. Let me also use this medium to thank the Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his cabinet for working closely with security agencies in the state to maintain law and order during this national protest.
“We have leant our lesson from what happened in the state in 1983 during Omoboriowo and Adekunle Ajasin political riots that led to massive destruction of lives and properties in the state.
“Once again I implore all the youths and young men and women in Ondo State to keep the flag of peace flying in the State and ensure that this protest die a natural death in Ondo State by engaging in dialogue with the state government to provide enabling environment for the youth of the state by embracing agriculture and many other self employment programs for the hardworking youths of the State for economic development of Ondo State as an agrarian revolutionary state of Nigeria.
“The state government should also work in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Mineral and Natural Resources to tap the exploration of bitumen deposits in the state which is said to be the second largest deposit in the whole world.
“This will provide over 5,000 to 10,000 youth employment in Ondo State and as a permanent source of internal revenue generation for the state in perpetuity. ”
He advised the state government “to focus on how to industrialise the dtate by inviting Investors for the development of sea port and refinery in Olokola area of Ondo South Senatorial district that was negligently abandoned through greed by past administration in the state.
“This will lead to massive employment generation of our youth to solve unemployment problems ravaging the state.
“Finally, Let me also embrace and thank all the students union Association across the State for their cooperation with the state government to make every campus of both secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the state peaceful as ever.
“Let me also again appeal to other youth protesters in other states of the federation to emulate the youth of Ondo State by embracing in dialogue and believing strongly that we don’t have any other country than Nigeria.
“That with cooperation with Tinubu-led administration and their state governors, and with dedicated honesty and hard work on the part of the citizenry, the part for economic prosperity and greatness for Nigeria will be achieved.
“Patience and understanding are the key words to be embraced by all and sundry. God bless you all.”
