Sen. Kabiru Gaya, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it was better to keep the youth busy with jobs than allowing them to keep government busy.
Gaya in Abuja on Tuesday said the cost of ignoring teeming population of employed youths was not good for any country.
He advised governments at all level give priority to engage unemployed youths in agriculture to promote the peace within country, saying taking care of the youth is highly important.
“Millions of youths are unemployed, if you don’t give them jobs to keep them busy, they will keep the government busy.
“When they keep the government busy in terms of security, it is very costly. So it is better government find jobs for the teeming youths.
“What I will suggest is that, we have verse unutilised virgin lands in this country, why not government get these unemployed youths train them in an agricultural school and let them learn works on agriculture.
“It can be mechanised farming or a profession in agriculture, faming industries and many other ways.
“I believe the government should encourage the youth than leaving them idle and doing nothing and an idle mind is a devil workshop,
“When the ENDEARS protest started it was peaceful, but when we have so many youths that have nothing to do on the streets, they joined the peaceful protesters and became violence. People were killed, property were destroyed
“I believe the government can do the best it can. The first priority should be to get the youth busy in this country and find something for them to work on in whatever capacity. I think that will bring more peace in this country.’’
Gaya (APC- Kano) encouraged the youth to join politics, saying that was the reason the Not-Too –Young-to-Run was passed by the NASS and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari before the 2019 general elections.
He expressed delight that more young persons were elected into the national assembly and as state governors.
The issue of having young people on board in politics is very important
“We have some of them in the NASS, not young as in terms of first term but in age. We are happy that they are there and we are learning from them.’’
