Traditional rulers to Buhari: Serious poverty, unemployment confronting Nigerian youths

THE National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) has lamented “serious level of unemployment” facing Nigerian youths.

This is just as the council appealed to governments and all stakeholders to continue to dialogue with the youths and ensure their engagement in productive employment.

The council made the appeal in a communique issued at the end of its emergency national executive committee meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

The communique was signed by the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Coordinating Committee of the council, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.

Naija Times gathered that the emergency meeting was chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, and co-chaired by the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II.

The emergency meeting was declared open by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.

The council noted that the recent EndSARS protest by some youths across the country had exposed the gap in the nation’s plan for the youths and future of the country generally.

The council noted the serious level of unemployment and the economic challenge facing citizenry, all of which led to youth restiveness and other security challenges.

“The council therefore calls on governments at all levels to ensure the proper implementation of laudable Federal Government employment programmes aimed at poverty alleviation and infrastructure development.”

The council resolved to continue to do its best to douse tension arising from the #EndSARS protest and expressed serious concerns about the hijack of the peaceful protest by hoodlums who eventually defeated the purpose of the exercise.

The council called on the security agencies not to allow the violence that trailed the protest to dampen their morale and urged them to be more proactive in their constitutional duties.