“Young people and women are the demographic groups most affected by the country’s dire economic outlook. For example, estimates by the National Bureau of Statistics show that while the national unemployment rate stood at 33 per cent by the end of 2020, unemployment for young people between ages 15 and 34 years was 10 per cent higher at 42.5 per cent
“If not carefully managed, the frustration of these groups can easily boil over into a national conflagration worse than what we saw months ago during the #ENDSARS protests. However, these are not doomsday predictions, but a warning to which all stakeholders must pay heed.”
On insecurity, Abdulsalami, who is also the Chairman of the National Peace Committee, stated that the situation had overstretched the country’s security forces and had led to the death of thousands.
According to him, the major cause of the insecurity in Nigeria is the proliferation of all calibres of weapons in the country in particular, and in the West Africa sub-region generally.
Quoting the Global Conflict Tracker report compiled by the United States Council on Foreign Relations, Abdulsalami said some 350,000 persons had been killed and three million displaced directly or indirectly in the conflict in the North-East since 2009.
He stated, “Ladies and gentlemen, Nigeria is once again at a crossroads. Insecurity remains the single most difficult challenge for the country. The Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, violence in the South-East, kidnappings and abductions of travellers across many states all continue to fester in the land.
“In addition to these, ethnic, communal and religious conflicts are rearing their heads very hard again in many parts of the country. All of these have greatly challenged and overstretched our security forces. This has caused thousands of deaths and millions of internally displaced persons in the country over the past years.”
Abdusalami said it appeared as if Nigeria had been stuck politically since 1960, adding that political experiments had refused to grow beyond the issue of security, economic growth and stability.
He stated, “It appears that Nigeria is stuck politically in the same place and our democratic experiment has refused to grow beyond these issues even after more than 60 years of national independence and self-governance.
“Whatever we do or we don’t do this election year will linger for a long time to come. This election year calls for statesmanship and patriotism.”
The former military leader urged politicians to watch their words and deeds carefully and avoid saying or doing things that would further heat up the polity.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar said the nation was facing real and existential threats never experienced before.
Atiku observed that as the 2023 elections were drawing closer, the political class and parties must begin the process of identifying a leader capable of finding solutions to the problems and uniting the people.
He said, “I have not seen this country in serious challenges of its existence as seen at this point in time. I witnessed the Nigerian civil war and not even the civil war was so much a threat to our existence like we are witnessing today.
“And of course, all attention is focused on the political class. The problems that have been highlighted, particularly security and economy, are problems the politicians are expected to solve.
“What is required, therefore, is the identification of a capable leadership by the political parties or political class that can bring together all components of the country together and the competencies so that we can get out of the crisis.”
Life already difficult for Nigerians, don’t increase pump price, SSANU warns FG
Meanwhile, the leadership of SSANU on Thursday warned the Federal Government against increment in pump price of petrol.
Speaking in Ile-Ife at the 41st SSANU Regular National Executive Council meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the National President of the association, Haruna Ibrahim, said union leaders would not fold hands, while ordinary Nigerians continue to experience hardship. The SSANU boss, who said that the organised labour would soon come up with a position on the planned increase in fuel price, also lamented nonchalant attitude of the federal government to improving condition of workers, especially members of SSANU, as many of the agreement the union had with it had not been implemented.
He also condemned the rising insecurity that has made travelling across the country very risky owing to activities of bandits and kidnappers, calling on the government to rise to the challenge by protecting lives and property of Nigerians.
Ibrahim said “no salary motivation, no minimum wage arrears, hazard allowance nowhere to be found, issue of staff school on ground, funding of university is terrible among other challenges.
“Nigerians are not finding life easy with the economic downturn. Life is difficult already for many people. Things are not easy for all and sundry as prices of goods are now skyrocketing beyond the reach, to the extent that the citizens cannot take their three square meals again.
“Civil Servant leaders cannot fold their hands and allow Nigerians experience more hardship than this. But all hands must be on deck to fight for our right. Nigeria Labour Congress will protest any increment in fuel price by the Federal Government.”
