Improve country’s economy, let jobs be available, ex-lawmaker, Omisore tells FG, states

Tribune Online
Improve country’s economy, let jobs be available, ex-lawmaker, Omisore tells FG, states

Former member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Ipoola Omisore, has called on the Federal and state governments to urgently improve the country’s economy and create job opportunities, particularly for the growing unemployed youth population in order to reverse what he described as the collapsing stage the society had found itself currently.

The former lawmaker said this while speaking exclusively with the Tribune Online, even as he also called on members of the society itself, including parents, the NGOs, among others to equally play their assigned roles to address the ugly trend that has seen the society lose its value system over the years.

“The society is at the collapsing stage and we the parents, we the society, NGOs, government must find a way of reversing the dangerous trend,” Omisore said.

“Of course definitely we are losing values in this country and particularly the grooming of our youths, right from their approach to educational attainment,” he added.

The ex-lawmaker, who will turn 71 Monday, while contending that youths of today were at a disadvantage, recalled the rosy past whereby then children went through proper care from the governments, society and the parents.

According to him, then children were properly groomed at home and in schools whereas those of nowadays are left to the world to fend for themselves in an environment largely populated by the unemployed.

This, he said had made the affected youths take to unholy approaches such as engaging in 419, Yahoo Plus, among others to survive and make ends meet.

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Omisore urged the governments to curb the ugly trend by improving the economy and investment heavily in agriculture with a view of generating employment opportunities for the youth, even as he also called for the return of teaching civic subject in school to make today’s children become responsible future leaders.

“So employment generation is the way out. The government must find a way through induced wavers or taxations, encourage companies to employ the youth. The government must make sure there is an enticement to companies that employ youths not to pay tax or they should be made to pay reduced tax.

“Agriculture is an area we have neglected and are lagging behind, all the local governments in Nigeria must be made to invest in agriculture, particularly in areas of their strength.

“In Benue, they have yams, in Ogun, they have cassava. Each area has its own God blessed produce. A specified percentage of the budget of all local governments must be put into agriculture so that local youths can get a place to work.

“In those days, Awolowo set up farm settlements with houses, with accommodation, with everything,” the former lawmaker recalled, adding: “I think BRF also tried something near Epe there for graduate farmers, these are areas government must look into,” he said.

Improve country’s economy, let jobs be available, ex-lawmaker, Omisore tells FG, states
Tribune Online