Senate president warns of another youth protest over unemployment

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has warned political office holders and policymakers against paying lip service to youth employment.

He challenged his colleagues in positions of authorities to factor youth employment and empowerment into the 2021 budget so as to escape another round of #EndSARS protests.

Lawan gave the warning when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Sabo Nanono, led top officials of his ministry to defend its 2021 budget before the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

He said, “Recently, we had protests by some of our youths. Some of them, very genuine, were seeking the attention of leaders and they got the attention.

“So, our budget, especially for 2021, should be mindful of what we do to provide employment opportunities for these youths.

“They demonstrated, they protested because they could do so. There are so many other people who may not be youthful but are also in the same need. They didn’t protest.

“Let us meet them where they are, we don’t want to wait until they also start to grumble or protest we should be proactive.”

Lawan said the oil sector and the white collar jobs could no longer provide the required employment to keep the youths busy and financially stable.

Meanwhile, the Senate on Monday said the Central Bank of Nigeria did not carry it along before it froze the bank accounts of some promoters of the #EndSARS protests.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who stated this in an interview with journalists, however said the red chamber was awaiting further information on the issue.

He said, “I heard the news through the electronic media and also read it on the pages of newspapers like every other Nigerian but we are interested in what actually happened as a parliament.”