Government must address unemployment, poverty, hunger to reduce crime — Lagos lawmaker

A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Okanlawon Sanni on Friday said that government across levels must address problem of unemployment, poverty and hunger to stem the rising tide of criminality in the society.

Sanni, representing Kosofe Constituency I at the Lagos State House of Assembly, made this disclosure at the flag-off of his youth empowerment programme on renewable energy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-month empowerment training was organised by the first-term lawmaker in partnership with the Fu-Nergy Technologies, Lagos.

The empowerment, which was titled: Operation Light-Up Kosofe, was aimed at building capacity of youths in alternative energy production.

According to Sanni, the programme is targeted at bridging the energy gap in the nation as well as solving the problem of empowerment, poverty and hunger.

“This training is borne out of my passion to put smiles in the faces of my people in Kosofe Constituency I. It is a passion-driven thing. It is a meeting of minds between the Fu-nergy Technologies and myself.

“I have the intention of bringing our unemployed teeming youths that are in the labour market into a meaningful engagement and employment to contribute to the society’s development as well as feed themselves and their families.

“What informs crimes and criminality that we are experiencing today is because of high unemployment rate, poverty and hunger.

“I am advising the government across levels to look inwards and ensure capacity building for youths and those in the middle class. Let us empower the youth and bridge the gap of energy deficiency,” Sanni said.

He said that once youths were not engaged, the tendency was there for them to go into crimes.

According to him, about 1000 youths in the constituency will enjoy training in renewable energy solution and be certificated so as to become entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

He said that the outstanding ones would be employed by the organisation part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Sanni said that the training the trainers programme comprises technical and sales marketing sections, depending on areas each beneficiary was interested in.

“We are solving employment problems, providing solution to energy challenges that we have and making life livable, meaningful and abundant to our people.”

He assured the constituents of more capacity building and other dividends of democracy.

In his remarks, Mr Abdulrasaq Nojeem, the Technology Officer and Founder of Fu-Nergy Technologies Solutions, said that the goal of the partnership was to help build the youths and to eradicate poverty and hunger.

Nojeem, who urged the beneficiaries to put their hearts and souls into the training, said that it would be for 30 days.

He said that the company produces inverters locally and trains experts for the production of the equipment in Nigeria.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to newsmen commended Sanni and Fu-nergy for the project, assuring that they would make good use of the opportunity.

One of them, Mr Olanrewaju Aborisade, said that everybody was aware of the level of unemployment in the country and the programme would reduce it and solve the problem of epileptic power supply in Nigeria.

Mr Oluwafemi Kasali described the training as “an eye opener” for him and other youths. Kasali said: “We realised that the issue of power supply and generation in Nigeria is epileptic, which is why Fu-Energy partnered Hon. Sanni Okanlawon for this training.“We have been having the training for some months now. It is meant for people like us to help the society.”