By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja – Mr Bamidele Salam, a PDP re-elected-member of the House of Representatives for Ede, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun, says his legislative priority is promoting legislations that will increase job creation for Nigerian youths. Salam made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. The lawmaker said that the most fundamental problem affecting Nigerian youths, today, was lack of job opportunities, adding that youth employment must be given the needed attention by the 9th National Assembly. “Nigeria is.the most populous country in Africa and it has very huge population. In the last five years, youth unemployment has been hovering between 27 and 52 per cent,this is a major challenge. “It is a challenge because when the youths are unemployed, the productivity of the country will continue to be low and crime will be on the increase. “So, it is a problem that needs all the attention that we can give. “When I was campaigning for this office, I put as my number one legislative agenda, law making and review of existing laws to create more jobs. “This is to empower the small scale entreprenuuers and the private sector in general, to be the drivers of a new wave of job creation by the Federal government.” Salam was one of the elect-members of NASS issued Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday in Abuja. He.also said part of his legislative agenda would be to make sure that Nigerian laws that did not allow business concerns to grow were changed. “So, my major concern for Nigerian youths is that of job creation. “Having this huge number of youths leaving the universities and colleges of Education without a job is a potential security tsunami for this country. “It is also hampering the growth and productivity of our economy. “So, we need to create employment opportunities for our youths. “We need to make laws that will allow industrial concerns to create jobs for our youths.” Salam also stressed the need for the 9th NASS to attend to electoral review, on time in line with the call by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, that the review of legal framework for elections should be done early enough, ahead of 2023 general elections. He said that the 2019 general elections had thrown up some new challenges that Nigeria ought to have overcome. Some of the challenges according to him are the issues of violence, heavy security presence, monitisation of election and vote buying. “If we continue like this, there may be short of good men in politics because of heavy monetisation of politics and the risks involved, security wise. “I believe that as lawmakers, these are the areas we should look into. “We need to address some of these problems so that we can have best brains in our politics and be able to guarantee that the vote of our people will count. “We need to attend to the issue of vote buying, electoral violence and other challenges. ” One of the ways to do this is to amend the Electoral Act, attend to the constitutional provisions and other legislative frameworks,having to do with conduct of elections in the country.” Salam, who commended his constituency for re- electing him, pledged not to fail them. “I see my re-election as a special privilege which by the grace of God I will not abuse. “By the grace of God, I will serve them diligently. I will serve them creatively in a way it has never been done before.”
