“420,000 Ekiti Youths are Jobless” — Bamidele
Written by: Julius Toba Jegede
A teeming population of youths numbering almost half a million are said to be currently not under any kind of employment in Ekiti State, under a government led by All Progressives Congress, APC.
Labour Party's (LP) governorship standard bearer in June 21st election, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele gave the staggering statistics on Wednesday during his campaign rally of Irepodun/Ifelodun local area of the state.
While speaking at the palace of Onigbemo of Igbemo Ekiti, HRM Oba Adewumi Daramola, Bamidele said the trend had caused serious security threat to people of the state.
According to him, “There are no fewer than 420,000 unemployed youths roaming the streets in Ekiti. This army of youths are angry, frustrated and sad and they constitute a threat to security of Ekiti under the current administration”
Bamidele however promised to reverse the trend by citing a modern rice processing mill, to commercialise the farm produce which the town is known for.
“To create more jobs for these youths, the popular but uncelebrated Igbemo rice which this town is known for will soon become an Ekiti brand and sold around the world. This will be part of the output of our cottage industry programme” he said.
He noted how unemployment rated had assumed an astronomical progression within the last three and half years of Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.
He also lamented that rather than creating employment for the youths who are mostly graduates; Fayemi had further plunged the state to a “beggar's state” which depends entirely on monthly federal allocation.
He listed five means of job creation if elected to office to include; industrialisation, mechanised farming, empowerment programmes, federal jobs and by turning Ekiti to investors' destination.
“The ongoing discussion about a university to be sited here will also be reviewed and continued under our government. I also promise the Kabiyesi-in-Council and all sons and daughters of this town that Ijan-Ekiti/Igbemo-Ekiti road will be reconstructed” he added.