The Senate resolved on Tuesday that necessary steps must be taken by the Federal Government to provide jobs to the teeming Nigerian youths in order to avert the recurrence of the EndSARS protests that recently rocked the country.
The resolution was consequent upon two motions moved by Senator Biodun Olujimi from Ekiti State and Senator Gershom Bassey from Cross River State on the destruction of public and private property in Lagos and Cross River states respectively.
The Senate resolved that the Federal Government must “assist in the reconstruction, rehabilitation and repair of property and infrastructure that were destroyed” in all affected states of the federation.
The Senate plenary signalled resumption from its four-week suspension of sittings to enable committees deal with 2021 budget defence by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Senate President, said one of the lessons learnt from the protests was that “those in power have not done enough for the downtrodden people to get jobs.”
He said that “security men were not enough to cover the country and were therefore overstretched.”
He renewed his call for the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police, even as he declared that the youth action was a wake-up call for the country.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide from Edo State recalled how two main correctional centres in the ancient city of Benin were forced open and criminals, including condemned ones, released into the society.
“Arms and ammunition were looted and nothing has been done about it. We should be concerned about how we avert this in the future.
“We must take proactive measures to employ our young graduates,” Urhoghide said.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said the Police must still be supported by Nigerians to provide security.
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