The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has expressed concern at the alarming rate of youth restiveness in Nigeria, particularly in the North East.
The Director-General of the Agency, Dr Dayo Mobereola, while addressing attendees at the North East Trade Fair in Bauchi on Sunday, highlighted the untapped potential of the region’s blue economy, noting that its exploitation could alleviate youth unemployment and reduce insecurity.
According to him, there is a need to woo more private investors to take advantage of the economic potential of the North East region, cutting across fishing, aquaculture, logistics, transportation, and tourism.
Speaking on the topic “Harnessing the Blue Economy Potential for Entrepreneurial Development: A Panacea for Youth Restiveness,” Mobereola said that the subject of youth restiveness in Nigeria is alarming, particularly in the North East and also across the country.
He said that acts of violence, gruesome killings, hostage-taking, and cultism are some of the social vices that have characterised the region.
His words: “Youth restiveness in this region has taken political, religious, and economic dimensions, and as future leaders, if this is not urgently checked, it will spell doom for the Nigerian state.
“The youths of any given state are the engine of development; therefore, a society with educated, disciplined, well-focused, and law-abiding youth will be heading for greatness, but regrettably, this is not the situation in the region where fear and insecurity have become the order of the day.”
“It is imperative that in order to bring this situation under control, there is a need to realign entrepreneurial development to reflect the interests of Nigerian youths and also the need for government, organisations, stakeholders, and able individuals to promote and support entrepreneurship; hence, at the heart of this are the demands to engage and empower our youth meaningfully.
“The blue economy offers a unique avenue to drive entrepreneurship, wealth creation and job opportunities in the region, paving the way for sustainable economic development and significantly alleviating youth restiveness.”
Also speaking, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Mining and Agriculture and Industry, Abdul Usman, said that the country is blessed with agriculture potential and called on major stakeholders to invest in agriculture. He commended NIMASA for its interest in the entrepreneurial potential of the region.
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