Political leaders and wealthy Nigerians have been urged to prioritize skill acquisition as a potent strategy to confront the rising incidence of crime in the country, as well as to reflate the prostrate economy.
Giving the advice in a telephone chat from Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, a philanthropist, Mr Lucky Ehiwuogwu Monye, said the dire insecurity in the country required solutions outside of the traditional resorts.
According to Monye, with the receding prospects of white collar jobs and the inability of the formal school system to imbue students with viable life- long skills, it had become imperative for the materially well- to-do and political leaders, especially local government chairmen, to prioritized skill acquisition as a potent strategy to tackle unemployment and its evil effects, including crime.
Monye, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Monaco Ventures Nigeria Limited, said that potent skill acquisition, if effectively augmented over the long term with appreciable finish,- line empowerment and monitoring/supervision at the grassroot, would help wean unemployed youths of their inclination towards social vices for reason of unemployment and under- employment.
The stalwart of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ika South Local Government Area and Chief Executive Officer of Monye Ehiwuogwu Lucky Foundation, said that with effective acquisition of viable skills and reasonable empowerment, many idle youths would be engaged as self- employed persons who could earn income for self-sustenance and, over time, economic reflation and family support.
Monye said that a confident and efficient self- employed youth was far less likely to resort to crime for survival than an idle one.
He, therefore, urged well-to-do Nigerians and political leaders to not only prioritize skill acquisition, but also to take empowerment programmes beyond tokenism.
Monye said that the high incidence of social deviance among youths was becoming unbearable and warned that the society could pay a disproportionately high price later if it neglected to effectively resolve it now.
