ABUJA – The Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Donald Duke, has challenged the 20.3 per cent unemployment released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), saying that it could be as high as 80 per cent.
Duke who stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the town hall meeting with farmers, traders, political parties and their candidates organised by the National Association of Nigerian Traders(NANTS), disputed the 20.3 per cent unemployment figure released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
He identified low and dismal productivity of many Nigerians as being responsible; adding that over 80 per cent of Nigerians depends on others for survival.
According to him, Nigerians have over the years allowed a set of people to control the economic base of the country, submitting that this has impoverished majority of Nigerians.
He said: “We deceive ourselves when we say that the unemployment rate in Nigeria is 20.3per cent. The unemployment rate in Nigeria is between 70 to 80 per cent. Most Nigerians depend on others for survival.
“We run a parasitic society whereby 80 per cent of the citizens depends on 20 per cent for their survival,” he said.
Warning that as long as the government allows this inequality to thrive, security of the country cannot be guaranteed, saying that the unemployed and the poverty-stricken in the society feel alienated and do not have a stake in Nigeria.
The former governor of Cross Rivers contended that Nigeria is still in recession, in view of the fact that her population grows faster than the economy.
“If our population is growing at 7 per cent and our economy is growing at 1.3 per cent, we are still in recession. The problem with Nigeria is neither religion nor ethnicity, the problem is inadequacy,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Ken Ukaoha, President of National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), explained that the forum was convened to present “farmers manifesto” to the candidates to secure their commitments in the implementation of the document if voted into power.
The farmers’ manifesto is a documentation on the specific needs of Nigerian farmers as a basis for a bargain between farmers and political office seekers, prior and after elections.
The means that farmers will expect politicians to commit to addressing the specific needs of the farming population during the electioneering season which will, in turn, encourage their votes, while farmers will monitor their fulfilment.
Daily Independent observed that many political office seekers drawn from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja attended the town hall meeting.
The post Duke Challenges Data On Unemployment, Says It Could Be Higher appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Source: Daily Independent
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Title :
Duke Challenges Data On Unemployment, Says It Could Be Higher
Description : ABUJA – T he Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Donald Duke, has challenged the 20.3 per cent unemployment relea...
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