Some Youths in Kwara have urged the State Government to provide them with job opportunities to ameliorate their sufferings.
The youths made the demand against the backdrop of unemployment as the country celebrated Democracy Day on Friday.
They spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ilorin.
According to them, true democracy is right if it reflects good standard of living.
Mr. Ayodeji Ezekiel, a graduate, said that one of the dividends of democracy was the right to good standard of living.
According to Ezekiel, the best way the youths can have their share of democratic governance is through employment and empowerment.
“We want our voice heard, we are tired of sitting idle and doing menial jobs after school.
”Some of the youths who graduated with good grades are forced to ride motorcycles, tricycles and taxis while our mates are working in multinational companies.
“There is no equity and fairness in that, we need government at all levels to tackle this problem in our nation,” he said.
Another respondent, Mr. Akeem Olakunle, said that if unemployment was not solved, Nigeria may return to primitive days as people would no longer see education as important.
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“Why will I go to school to become a banker and end up as carpenter? I should have gone to technical school or become an apprentice than waste time schooling.
“Education will become secondary option to youths if care is not taken,” Olakunle cautioned.
He called on the government to revive and fund more technical schools across the country because they are fast becoming the most useful form of education.
Also, Miss Kike Owolabi, another unemployed youth, said that being gainfully employed could curb drug abuse and addiction.
“Employment will combat drug abuse and addiction. Most times that youths turn to drugs is because of depression and loss of hope.
“Self pity in the face of struggle and sufferings can lead one to drugs and even other harmful social vices.
“Some of us cannot bear it, seeing our parents give all to train us in schools, yet we cannot give back to them at their old age.
“My mother is still selling akara by the road side that is what she has been doing to raise four of us, and yet we cannot take good care of her. It is unfair and we do not feel good about it,” she cried.
Owolabi said that government needed to put in place structures and policies to enable young graduates get employed.
She added that government policies such as N-power should be more encompassing to make the desired impact. (NAN)
