As President Bola Tinubu took the oath of office becoming the 16th Nigerian leader, Nigerians have called on him to tackle insecurity headlong and provide jobs for unemployed youths across the country.
According to those who spoke with Nigerian Tribune in Abuja on Monday, insurgency and youth unemployment are responsible for kidnapping, banditry, ritual killings and other social vices which have led to loss of lives and property in the last 15 years in the country.
President Tinubu, had in his inaugural speech at the Eagle Square Abuja, promised to create job opportunities for the youths which he said was part of his campaign promises while adding that his government will work with the National Assembly to bring relief to Nigerians through friendly government policies.
“My administration must create meaningful opportunities for our youth. We shall honour our campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy. Our government also shall work with the National Assembly to fashion an omnibus Jobs and Prosperity bill. This bill will give our administration the policy space to embark on labour-intensive infrastructural improvements, encourage light industry and provide improved social services for the poor, elderly and vulnerable,” the President said.
A former House of Representatives member and PDP chieftain, Honourable Godfrey Ali Gaiya, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune, described President Tinubu as a tested and trusted leader who understands Nigeria’s political terrain who will bring his wealth of experience to bear in piloting the affairs of the country in the next four years.
“His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a tested and trusted leader. Having governed Lagos, as a Senator and true democrat for over 30 years, he is expected to perform excellently. The hope and aspiration of Nigerians rest squarely on his shoulders and I believe he should not fail them.
“He has graciously spelt out areas of his concentration and I cannot agree less. As he rightly stated in his speech, he should address the issue of petroleum subsidy by removing it completely and using these huge funds to invest in infrastructure.
“He should tackle the power generation, transmission and distribution, without sufficient power industries will not survive. Also agriculture, security challenges, labour relations and sports should not be left out,” Gaiya stated.
Also speaking with our correspondents, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) urged the president to continue from where his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, stopped on the issue of youth empowerment. The former through the office of the vice president had created various empowerment programs such as N-power, Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI), African Youth Empowerment Nigeria (AYEN), the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) among others but could only be accessed by the few leaving others in the lurch.
The trio of Aisha Salim, Kunle Awoyale and Buchi Sebastian who spoke on behalf of their colleagues called on the new Nigerian leader fulfill his campaign promises of giving loans to students in higher institutions of learning across the country. By doing so, they said the Tinubu’s administration will have in one way or the other help to lessen the burden of school fees on the students and even get the students empowered before leaving schools as some of them could invest such loans in profitable business.
“I see the coming of President Bola Tinubu as a dawn of a new era in Nigeria’s political life. Our expectations are high and we want him to surpass the achievements of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The former tried his best but it was not enough and that is why we are still where we are in the last eight years. Fortunately for us, Tinubu is not an emergency or accidental President, this is what he has been planning for so many years. And now that he got it, he should hit the ground running as they always say and address youth unemployment in the country. Youths account for more than 60 percent of Nigeria’s population and if their problems are tackled, we are in for a good time.
“Like under Buhari even though many of us do not have access to the government empowerment programs, Tinubu creates an enabling environment for these schemes to work and put those who have the interest of the youths in those sensitive positions.
“Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and other vices have taken their toll on our country with thousands of our compatriots sent to their untimely graves. The bucks now stop on President Bola Tinubu’s desk to take the bulls by the horns by overhauling our security architecture and structures by putting round pegs in round holes and nip insurgency in the bud,” the trio told Nigerian Tribune.
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