The Senator representing Ekiti Central senatorial District in the National Assembly, Opeyemi Bamidele, has appealed to the legislative arm of government to join the executive to solve the problem of youth unemployment in the country.
The federal Lawmaker appealed to the members of the national assembly to always give what he tagged “real and sustainable empowerment” to youths in their various constituencies, rather than offering peanuts as palliatives .
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights said credible alternative jobs must be provided to wean the misguided youths from “robbery, kidnapping and cybercrime’, which he said have become profitable and attractive crimes to the population.
He spoke on Thursday at the closing session of a two-day aqua-culture and fish production training he organised for 100 youths across five local governments in his senatorial district .
The federal Lawmaker revealed that the experts and resource persons at the training were professionals from the Federal College of Fishery and Oceanography, Lagos state.
Bamidele, represented by the Ekiti State commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof Adio Folayan, said the programme was geared towards reducing unemployment and poverty within the ranks of Ekiti youths.
He said the interested youths would be empowered with fingerlings, feeds, cash gift and other fishery instruments until their businesses stabilise and become sustainable.
“Contrary to the widespread impression in our country, the government, especially the executive arm alone can’t solve the crisis of youth unemployment, other arm of government must join the fray, because of the attendant crimes like robbery, cybercrime and kidnapping.
“Real empowerment brings growth and development of human capital resources while peanuts are mere palliatives and emergency needs, which can’t suspect anyone or make him economically independent .
“We must give sustainable and real empowerments to our youths in all our intervention programmes at our constituencies for sustainable growth and development of the human capital personnel of our nation”,he said.
Bamidele said the training was part of his campaign promises, which he said has no political colouration.
“The trainees are those who had indicated interest in fish production. With this training, the practitioners can eat , sell and employ themselves. We are going supply all the initial capitals to establish the business and to grow the fishs to a table size for six months.
“Some Nigerian youths who received similar training and were empowered have become millionaires and employers of labour and this is our mission and vision.”
Bamidele also stated that programme is in support of the five -pillar policy thrust of Governor Kayode Fayemi, which rests on social investment, knowledge economy and Agriculture.
