Youth restiveness: 21,000 youths to benefit from Gov. Lalong empowerment programme
The governor of Plateau State Simon Lalong, in conjunction with Apurimac and Plateau Peace Building Agency set to train over 21,000 youth and women in entrepreneurship as a means of ending youth restiveness.
Director General, Plateau Peace Building Agency, Joseph Lenmang, has said the ongoing economic recession has sent many Nigerian girls into prostitution, armed robbery, and other forms of criminality.
The Peace building expert made the disclosure yesterday in Jos, Plateau State while addressing trainees of entrepreneur at Apurimac training centre to sensitize the youth on the need to avoid criminality and engage in economic ventures.
He noted that most girls have indulged in prostitution, as a means of livelihood. Represented by a staff of the agency, Manji Mangrock, the agency boss appealed to Nigerian youths to engage in meaningful economic ventures.
Lenmang revealed that inabilities of government not to employ graduates of the state since 2006, has also created youth restiveness.
He stressed that “Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, has said empowerment scheme was collaborating with Apurimac to empower over 21000 vulnerable youth before the end of 2017.”
Contributing in a lecture, area manager Industrial training Fund (ITF), Jos area office, Mr. Sarpiya Yoila, said high unemployment was the major cause of violence in Nigeria.
“Joblessness is the root cause of global unrest threatening international security. Fostering entrepreneurship is the only remedy”.
The ITF chief said the use of force cannot end insurgency “the combined weight of diplomacy and military power cannot end unrest and extremism in troubled regions of the world. Instability and terror breed where young men cannot find jobsl”.
Yoila added that “pipeline vandalism ongoing in southern Nigeria is as a result of lack of employment of the youth; I can assure you, no might of military force can stop extremism anywhere in the Wold, but entrepreneur can effectively do”.
He revealed that most investors left Plateau state in the wake of violence due to protracted civil unrest.
On his part, country director Apurimac Godwin Okoko, in an address, called on citizens to complement efforts of security to expose criminality in the society.
