Nigeria Youth Parliament yesterday told President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the report of the 2014 National Confab, saying it contained home-grown solutions to economic and political challenges bedeviling the country.

The Parliament sought the intervention of the government in the labour sector, submitting that the unemployment rate in the country has hit the rooftops. It also frowned on the pockets of hate speeches making the rounds, urging the National Assembly to enact a legislation to curb it and called on President Buhari to restructure the country in line with the yearnings of the people.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, speaker of the Parliament,  Ayodele Obe John, said  dialoguing with the people would end agitations across the country.

He said: “The Parliament has witnessed with utmost dismay, the unguarded and frivolous proclamations by some disjointed, disgruntled, unpatriotic people seeking cheap popularity through utterances which threatens the sovereign unity and integrity of the country.

“The Parliament, as an authentic voice of the Nigerian Youth Constituency hereby sounds a note of warning to all these groups. Consequently, we call on the National Assembly to promulgate a legislation that will address the activities of these groups and set in place the right punishment. “This is because freedom of speech does not imply utterances capable of truncating national peace, unity and cohesion.  However, Nigeria is one united entity and our strength lies in our diversity and on Nigeria’s unity, we stand.

“According to the Bureau of Statistics, Our unemployment rate has risen to 14.2 percent, thereby leaving millions of Nigerians, especially youth jobless. This ugly situation seems to have been receiving little policy attention presently. ‘’Therefore, Parliament resolves that the Federal Government should declare a state of emergency on the economic sector, meet every policy statement targeting the recovery of our economy with the right strategic actions, build youth capacity and create jobs in order to avert the impending socio-economic hurricane that may hit the country if no commensurate measures are in place in the right time.

“All around the world, Nations and societies adjust to the realities of every moments and seasons, so as to be able to fix every evolving social challenge. It is worthy of note that Nigerian case should not be different. Apparently, Parliament resolves as follows; “That the outcome of the National Confab be fully implemented, as it reflects the true opinions, consent and goodwill of every Nigerians, having in it, the true home-grown ideations, ideologies and innovative solutions to fix the country and strengthen our unity. “That there should be complete economic and political restructuring of the country; giving the federating constituents the capacity to realize their unique socio-economic and political potentials and grow their prosperity.”

“That Federal Government should open sincere dialogue with different genuine groups clamoring for the restructuring of the country and aggregate their opinions for the benefit of stepping up a holistic solution to address the surging agitations.”

“Youth Budget: The Parliament frowns at the budget of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, which centre over 80% percent of the sectoral allocation on recurrent expenditure, leaving behind the deserving budgetary commitment on youth development issues. ‘’To this end, the ministry should stand up to her responsibility of developing the enormous potentials of our youth demography and aligning herself with all global conventions on youth development. This is because; no Nation develops above the strength and capacity of her youth.” – Vanguard

Aug 17,2017 @ 11:01 GMT