By Bimbola Oyesola, [email protected]
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has warned that Nigeria may be sitting on a keg of gunpowder, with the alarming rate of youth unemployment in the country.
The Examination Bodies and Libraries Trade Group Council of NASU, at its meeting held in Owerri, Imo State, recently, expressed worry over the high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria, which it said was “threatening the sustainability of the nation’s economic development and causing increase in the rate of crime and other social vices.”
According to the union, the rate of unemployment, particularly among the youth population, is worrisome, adding that “Nigeria is indeed in a precarious state and sitting on a keg of gunpowder.”
The resolution of the meeting, jointly signed by the group’s chairman and deputy president of NASU, Sunday Obabunmi, and the senior assistant general secretary, ’Damola Adelekun, charged government, as a matter of urgency, to provide gainful employment for the youth, before unemployment consumes the nation.
The union also urged the government to create an enabling environment and focus more on the areas of mining, agriculture, manufacturing, industrialization as well as information and communication technology.
“Council also appeals to the government to increase and expand its scope of assistance to small and medium-scale enterprises to enable them to be sustainable agents of job creation,” the union added.
The group lamented that corruption is a major obstacle to stability and economic development in Nigeria and a potent cancer found in every sector of the society, which has mercilessly eaten Nigeria to a state of stupor.
The union stated that the level of corruption in Nigeria was alarming, uncalled for and to a large extent citizens now see it as short-cut to success.
“An average Nigerian who aspires for positions of authority does not do so to render service to the nation but for personal gains and self aggrandizement,” the union said.
The union’s leadership also noted that successive governments have not been able to put an end to the problem due to lack of political will and commitment to the fight.
It called on the present leadership in the country to change their mindset and work for the progress and unity of the nation, instead of amassing wealth for themselves.
In the same vein, it charged “Mr. President to pay attention to preventing the stealing of the country’s resources, as much as the recovery of stolen funds.”
found guilty of corrupt charges.