Open letter to the President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President

DAL INTERNATIONAL NEWS Thursday 3 August,2017

Facts are the lifeblood of Journalism

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OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AND VICE PRESIDENT,PROF.YEMI OSINBAJO FROM LONDON BASED DOCTOR.

A true Nigerian always proud and passionate about the only country where he would not regarded as a foreigner. He desire Nigeria where the hospitals are not mortuaries, the schools are not mediaeval, no child sleeps without dinner .

Before I proceed I plead that whoever that reads this open letter authorised to Mr. Dauda Awwal, Editor Dal International News, UK should please share the letter to all Nigerian Government Agencies and be kind to acknowledge the receipt of this open letter.

BROACHING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA

I am Dr Ransome Essien a British citizen and General practitioner and a Nigerian citizen living in London, United Kingdom.

Based on 2012 figures from the National Population Commission, Nigeria has a population of 167 million, though it's now projected that our population has risen to 180 million. Youths (people aged from 15 to 34 years of age ) constitute 50% of our population and 50% of our youths are unemployed with more females being unemployed than males . Also youth unemployment is more prevalent in rural than urban areas . Unfortunately as the population increases so does youth unemployment.

In Nigeria, the most prominent youth program is the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which was established by the military in 1973. This program

was useful in the first twenty years of inception and right now it has outlived its usefulness and is antiquated.

In order to tackle youth unemployment I recommend the abrogation of NYSC and replacing it with National Youth Skill Acquisition Program (NYSAP).

It's a known fact that graduates acquire knowledge and little skills by time they qualify from university.

NYSAP will offer skill and talent assessment to the graduates and also offer them skills acquisition training in various trades such as ICT , mobile phone repairs , carpentry, plumbing , interior decoration, business skills , poultry, mechanised farming etc. The skills offered must not necessarily tarry with academic qualifications.

NYSAP should have modern equipment and the trainers should be people who can impact skills that can stand quality test globally.

The government can seek help from UNESCO ,United Nations IMF and world bank to set up NYSAP and Youth Empowerment Trust Fund (YETF) to provide loans to the graduates of NYSAP to start individual small business. By empowering a youth the

government may be empowering an entire family and a generation.

Today, Nigeria is facing various daunting challenges including crime and insecurity, most of the culprits being youths. The youths involved in kidnapping and armed robbery may not have chosen that ignoble path if they had a job and a means of livelihood. By tackling youth unemployment the government will reduce crime reduce the various agitations and set the country on pathway of prosperity and truly make our youths the future of Nigeria. Also maybe produce another Dangote or Bill Gate of Nigeria.

2-NIGERIA AT CROSS ROAD I love my country, it's the only country in the world I can't be referred to as a foreigner. The agitations and clamour by those calling for succession is at crescendo point, the voice to restructure Nigeria led

by Babangida has just resurfaced and if not properly addressed, the boiling issues confronting Nigeria are severe and Nigeria is at verge of profound crises that may dismember it if these are not properly and urgently addressed.

Our unity and diversity is a strength and protagonists for the brake up of Nigeria are dwelling in ignorance. On the other hand the current status

quo is mortgaging Nigeria to poverty and underdevelopment.

This is my proposal to solve the perilous issues facing us and I recommend my proposal should be given patriotic attention and put to Nigerians in a referendum.

There are accepted six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, these zones should be made autonomous all within Nigeria, six countries all in one Nigeria. They should have the liberty to formulate their laws , control their resources and have their police They can be six countries in one United Nigeria and Abuja will remain the Federal Capital of Nigeria with an elected President and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces and will levy taxes to be paid by the new independent countries and appoint federal minister to oversee our foreign affairs and ministers to coordinate progress in the independent countries .

This is the structure on which UK operates and I strongly recommend it be considered in Nigeria through a referendum Thank you Dr Ransome Essien

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