Following the high-wave of unemployment in Nigeria, 79 members of the House of Representatives have advised President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on unemployment.
The motion entitled: “Call for a State of Emergency and Legislative Intervention in the unemployment crisis,” was sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, the House majority leader.
Gbajabiamila alongside 78 of his colleagues, said unemployment rates in the country had reached catastrophic level.
The majority leader said it was time the House took proactive measures towards assisting the federal government by allocating a higher percentage of the annual budget to capital expenditure.
He further noted that that execution of projects would lead to creation of jobs.
The House leader suggested that creating jobs will severe connection between crime, poverty, corruption and unemployment.
He also called for an amendment of the Immigration Act to provide steeper penalties for the violation of relevant sections of the act which protects Nigerian workers.
Meanwhile, Leo Ogor, the House minority leader, insisted that the opposition was not against the motion.
However, he observed that Buhari made a campaign promise to create three million jobs a year.
Ogor went on to ask if the motion was an affirmation of the fact that the president cannot fulfill his promise, hence the need for a subtle reminder.
In a recent report by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, states that the nation’s unemployment rate is at alarming 8.5% this year.
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