Sanusi on growing insecurity, urges FG to compensate unemployed youth

WORRIED by rising insecurity in the country, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Sanusi, has called on the Federal Government to create an Unemployment Compensation Policy to assist teeming unemployed youths, with a view to discouraging them from crimes and other deviant life styles.

He also suggested the creation and maintenance of biometric and forensic data base for all Nigerians.

Mallam Sanusi spoke yesterday in Umuahia, Abia State, as guest lecturer at the first Abia State Youths Empowerment Summit, where over 200 vehicles, 700 tricycles and other equipment would be distributed to youths in the state.

Speaking on the topic, ‘Youth empowerment as a panacea for insecurity,” Sanusi said:  “The government should adequately fund the security agencies through competitive remuneration, provision of modern security equipment and gadgets, training and retraining all security personnel to meet modern day challenges.

“In the South-South and East, the act of kidnapping, youth restiveness and other violence have become rampant. Specifically, the spate of kidnapping across the country, the incessant wave of crime and armed robbery point to the fact that insecurity is a big challenge to development in Nigeria.

“Related to the above is the challenge of poverty level. Governments at all levels are unable to address this because there is no realistic social security programme in Nigeria to meet the people’s basic needs. This often provides the basis for desperation and criminally minded activities.”

Sanusi, who also called for the provision of conducive environment and other logistics for security personnel, noted the importance of youths in any nation and need for them to be provided for, especially when not employed, the CBN governor said  there was need for the Federal Government to emulate developed nation where social safety nets were provided for unemployed youths.

Earlier in his speech, Governor Theodore Orji stressed the importance his administration placed on youth empowerment, noting that it helped the state to effectively tackle the menace of kidnapping.

Commending the youths for their role in combating kidnapping, Orji flagged off the distribution 200 vehicles, including buses and township taxis, 700 tricycles and other equipment such as computers, sowing machines, among others.