Members of the youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, protesting against unfulfilled promises by the party, at the state House of Assembly.
• NLC faults projection to create five million jobs
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State yesterday protested at the state House of Assembly against the party’s failure to deliver on its promise.
The protesters, who were mainly youths acted under El-Rufai Campaign Organisation and Continuity Project 2019. The group’s Secretary, Sadeeq Shuaibu claimed that El-Rufai was trying his best to carry the youths along, but added that those working with him were sabotaging the efforts.
The youths accused the APC of failing to empower the youths as promised during the election. The aggrieved protesters, who gathered in front of Lord Lugard Hall chanted: “No more APC in 2019.”
They also blocked the major route leading in and out of the assembly complex, causing a traffic gridlock. Shuaibu said: “Although some of the youths who joined the party’s campaign during the election were employed as traffic workers and others empowered to start their business, most of them had been sidelined.”
The youths alleged that their representatives from the local council level to the federal had reneged in their promises to empower them. “We want the governor to know that his plans for the youths have not been actualised, while those working under him are diverting the benefits to their family members and friends,” they said.
Meanwhile, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have described government’s target to create 1.5 million jobs by 2020 as unrealistic. The Lagos State Chairman of the NLC, Idowu Adelakun said: “Creating 1.5 million jobs cannot be achieved with the growing rate of unemployment in the country.
“If 1.5million jobs are created in four years time, what about the number of people who have lost their jobs and the rate of fresh graduates who would be in the labour market by 2020?”
Adelakun’s position was backed by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s latest report, which showed that unemployment in the country had increased from 13.9 per cent in the third quarter or 27.12 million people to 14.2 per cent or 28.58 million people in the fourth quarter of 2016.
In a report titled: “Nigerian Economy and Policy Environment,” the NBS said at that rate no fewer than 1.5 million new jobs would have been created in the country by the year 2020.
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