By Igbotako Nowinta – Alltimepost.com Nigeria Bureau Chief.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to sustain the proposed N5, 000 stipends for unemployed youths in Nigeria once implemented or risk multiple violent reactions from the masses.
Pastor Frank Amegor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Shekinah Glory Zonal Headquarters in Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria recently gave the advice during a chat with Alltimepost.com.
Amegor who is equally a Lecturer in the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Nigeria said that the proposed N5,000 billed to take off in January 2016 was a sign of government’s genuine concern about the welfare of the populace.
‘‘It will go a long way in making the youths to have a sense of national belonging as a kind of palliative measure, It will help the common hopeless and helpless youths to have a sense of respite.”
N5,000 in the midst of skyrocketing living expenses, he continued will help a great deal in improving the lives of the people.
Pastor Amengor however has one worry and that is If Government implements it, will it be able to sustain the program? He expressed the fear that there will be more problems for the youths and that it will give the government of the day more problems to solve if they cannot sustain it.
“And if violence multiplies the government will face more predicament…So, President Buhari must do everything in his power to sustain it,’’ he advised.
It was his opinion that the mere handout of $5,000 will not solve the multifarious problems of the society, adding that in order to solve the nation’s problems President Buhari should match the proposed stipends with aggressive development actions.
Such actions, according to him, should include provision of basic infrastructural facilities, like pipe borne water, good roads, adequate power supply, building and expansion of industries geared towards employment opportunities.
Pastor Amegor recalled that government failed woefully to meet the needs of the people at a point in time through insensitive administrative procedures that led to social infrastructural decadence which contributed to violence in the country.
The University Don was of the view that the Church has a great role to play to curb violence in the society, that the first thing to do is to establish family values system like respect for elders, obeying the laws of the land, exhibition of good behavior at all times, etc.
Pastor Amegor opined that if family value system is well entrenched it will be difficult for any violent group to infiltrate the children by luring them into violent activities.
He said in a society where everybody comes with everything called wealth, where the value system is so bad and corrupt and where evil people are promoted, the parents must interact with their wards constantly to prevent them from being used by sinister groups and individuals.
