Senator Gershom Bassey
EndSARS protest: One Year After, Nigerian youth still despondent, says Senator Bassey
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Senator representing Cross River South in the National Assembly, Gershom Bassey says Nigerian youths are still despondent one year after the EndSARS protest.
He maintained that the country’s economy has failed to lift millions of youths out of poverty and condemned the rising level of poverty in the country.
Senator Bassey made this known in Calabar while speaking on the present socio economic situation in the country.
He said the economic policies has not improved and has made over 55 million youths enter the poverty trap.
“It is sad that in the wake of the one-year anniversary of the #Endsars protests, many of our youths still feel despondent as statistics show that poverty, unemployment and insecurity are on a steady rise.
“Nigeria’s current economic growth patterns are not providing adequate employment and quality of life, especially for young persons who may lack necessary skills and training.
“By fourth quarter of 2020, Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased to 33.3% from 27% in second quarter and Nigeria now ranks 2nd highest on the unemployment global list.
“This was not acceptable and one in three of Nigeria’s 69.7 million work force are unemployed, consisting of predominantly young persons aged 25-44.
“Food inflation has accelerated at its highest pace in 15 years, worsening the economic conditions of millions of Nigerian youths, of which more than 55 million now live in extreme poverty”, he said.
He stressed that he has been advocating for improved economic policies and raised a motion in the Senate on “The Need to Prioritize Sustainable Youth Oriented Human Capital Development for Long Term Socio-Economic Growth”.
The gubernatorial hopeful said the aim of the motion was the need for sustainable programmes for youth development and empowerment in Nigeria to check current slide.
Senator Bassey also pointed out that countries like China prioritized large-scale investments in physical and human capital during the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on areas such as education, technology and industrial job creation.
Today, China, he added has almost eliminated illiteracy among its 1.3 billion population.
He stressed that “government needs to consider its youth population as a unique resource and economic force for high-income growth and development.
“Government, he added must commit to budget allocations that provide youth-oriented economic interventions, technological adaptability, foster entrepreneurship and job creation in agriculture and manufacturing sectors”, he said.
