Unemployment cause of youths restiveness, says Abaribe

The Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Tuesday in Abuja blamed youths restiveness in the country on unemployment.

Abaribe said this when an NGO, International Day for Tolerance and Peace Promotion (ID4TAPP) visited him.

He said that unemployment and underemployment were capable of triggering dissatisfaction as witnessed recently.

“About 29 per cent of the Nigerian population is unemployed and this is alarming.

“When a man is unemployed, he has no money to assuage his basic needs, and he can’t take care of his family, then he will be angry,’’ Abaribe said.

The senate minority leader, who appealed for job creation, said economic empowerment of the youth was paramount in ending youth restiveness in Nigeria.

He, however, called on the government to be sensitive to the country’s plethora of challenges for a progressive and united country.

According to him, national tolerance and sensitivity to our tribal, religious differences is key to promoting and sustaining the unity of Nigeria.

Also, Ms Ijeoma Akwara, the National Coordinator of the group, called for youths’ inclusiveness in the country’s governance.

Akwara said that the theme of this year’s International Tolerance Day; “Unleashing Youth Power’’, was aimed at intensifying and directing efforts to the elimination of youth restiveness by investing in youth inclusive in governance.

The coordinator reiterated the commitment of the group in fostering peace through political and religious tolerance with stronger collaborations with National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the media.

“Every year, we encourage a discussion on a unifying dominant theme relating present position of the nation with reference to our ability to tolerate each other as a people and achieve sustainable peace.’’