Dr. Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr.Chris Ngige, has said the country is on the verge of being consumed bysocial unrest due to increasing rate of employment in the country.
Ngige, who spoke in Enugu at the weekend, stated that Nigeria wouldbecome like Venezuela if the country does not begin to tackleunemployment immediately.
The minister highlighted insecurity and unemployment as major symptomsof a failing country noting that the two plagues Nigeria.
He said, “So, unemployment is growing into a big cankerworm. It isgrowing into a very vicious disease condition that has given rise to alot of anti-social behaviours.
“The symptoms are there. Boko Haram is a symptom of unemployment inNigeria. IPOB is a symptom of unemployment and desperation and peoplegetting frustrated. Same goes for banditry in the North-West. Samegoes for kidnapping all over the country. Avengers – the destructionof oil pipelines, OPC – all these are symptoms of very seriousunderlying disease condition called unemployment.
“All arsenals, everything will be put into place, so that we can fightunemployment. Otherwise, it will consume everybody. It will consume meand you.
“It is already showing when you are in traffic and people are knockingon your car window to ask you to give them your phone. If you don’tgive them, they will attack you. “That is the big malaise.”
Ngige, however, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari-ledadministration is tackling the two issues and would fashion a way out.
