Delta State, Youth Unemployment and Agbero Phenomenon
Few days ago, I posted a piece ‘’Multiple Taxation and Oborevwori’s Paradigm Shift in Delta State’’. The referenced intervention described as understandable and appreciated the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, recent declaration when the State Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ALGON, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Asaba, that his administration would collaborate with local government councils to pay the backlog of pensions owed retired primary school teachers and local government retirees.
The said piece also categorized as both timely and essential the Governor’s cautioning of local government chairmen against multiple taxation to reduce the burden of fuel subsidy removal on the people.
Interestingly also, before writing the article, I thought over the high points the Governor’s declaration will deeply address in the state, but was, however, surprised at the barrage of differing stout oppositions that trailed my perspective a few hours after post. While some openly and freely disagreed with my position on the current administration in the state, others felt strongly and strangely about the accolade the piece poured on the Governor.
While it is impossible to reproduce on this piece all the concerns about the perceived not-too impressive happenings in the state as captured by the commentators, one particular view point by a resident that wrote from Warri part of the state, was wrapped with in-depth graphic description of how miscreants popularly called Agberos now operate in the city of Warri and its environs without restraint or caution from any quarter.
It reads in part; ‘’since the swearing in of this administration, the number of agberos, and different task forces has increased in the State, and this is just the beginning. They have become more ruthless. Agbero is the law in Delta state. They check vehicle particulars, sell different types of tickets. Since after the election, it is as if they sold the common man to the agberos, who extort money from us’’.
Even as this piece may not align completely with the above position expressed by the commentator, the truth must be told to the effect that the comment, when critically examined, is not stripped of merit as it raised two separate but related issues.
First and very fundamental, it revealed the inner traits and imperceptible threat in the state which the current administration must observe and assess carefully, correctly and realistically –as any wrong assessment of the issue raised could lead to wrong judgment and worsen the situation.
likewise, aside from calling for more work and more policies, the commentary on Agberos operating without restraints in the state should be enough reason for the state government to ask solution-oriented questions, and these questions should shape the government’s thought process in specific order and guide their thinking so as to bring out concerned information voluntarily and spontaneously to where they can be seen and treated.
Undoubtedly, a government that is desirous to save and serve the people should in my view, appreciate this particular intervention for the reason that the scenario painted by the Warri based commentator, more than thing else portrays a dangerous omission left distinctly unaddressed by the previous administration in the state, – and will remain a basic drawback if allowed to thrive by the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led administration in the state.
Among other thematic steps open to the state government, this piece holds the opinion that to change the narrative, will require the Oborevwori led state government take a ‘’disciplined look’’ at job creation via development of the state’s agricultural potentials with full involvement of youths in the state. Until the state looks at the sector with a specific standpoint that involves chains of result oriented and productive activities that will keep the youths gainfully engaged, negative developments and occurrences such as the Agboro phenomenon will continue to flourish.
To further understand why this conversation is important, youth in every society, says a study report, has the potential to stimulate economic growth, social progress and our all national development. The strategic role of youths in the development of different societies of the world such as Cuba, Libya, China, Russia and Israel are obvious. Youth unemployment is potentially dangerous as it sends a signal to all segments of the Society.
Aside the above fact, while this piece insists that the state designs and develop a sustainable state agricultural sector for the purpose of food production and job creation is that if what happened in the 1980s/90s unemployment-wise were a challenge (1970s (6.2%); 1980s (9.8%) and the 1990s (11.5%).), what is happening presently in Nigeria is a crisis going by latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
This call is not new and this piece is not alone in the call for investment in agriculture as a formidable tool for solving unemployment challenges in the state.
To underscore this position, former Governor of the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa while speaking at the occasion of the 2021 International Youth Day Celebration, organized by the States Ministry of Youth Development in Asaba, the State capital, which had as theme; Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health, said that, some natural resources as oil and gas are exhaustible, but agriculture was as old as man’s existence and would out-live man, adding that it is importance in the provision of employment and food for man.
Away from the call for commercial farming by the former Governor, deltans with critical interest have at different times and places expressed concern that it is not right for governments in the state to create agencies that dole money to youths with the aim of eradicating poverty, as such huge resources do not have economic value. Instead, such amounts should be invested in agriculture for the purpose of food and job creation. It is a fact that the current administration will continue to find itself faced with difficulty accelerating the economic life cycle of the state until they contemplate agricultural development, industrialization, or productive collaboration with private organizations that has surplus capital to create employment.
To win, there exists a new understanding that less emphasis should be placed on university education. Technical and Commercial colleges should be established and funded to produce graduates that are technically fit. The state should engage in owning business and manufacturing outfits like what was done in the 1970s-1990s. Companies and factories wholly owned by state governments should be built to absorb graduates and skilled workers. It is still possible in my views for the state to operate profitable businesses by the state government using the Indian/Lebanese system of business model.
Even as the piece urges the state government to cease politics and look for constructive and creative channels to fight the enemy called unemployment, one point Elder Oborevwori must not fail to remember is that Delta as a state is not insulated from unemployment and poverty induced crises. The state must not allow the unemployment condition to get to the ‘’commanding height’’ that will force the youths of the state into criminality.
As the debate on ‘’agbero Phenomenon’’ in the state rages, the state as noted in my previous but familiar intervention, should frontally enforce the Delta state law that criminalizes illegal and forceful collection of levies also known as ‘deve’ from public and private developers in the state that was signed into law on Friday August 25, 2018, by the immediate past governor, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
Titled “Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Bill 2018”, the law as Sheriff would recall was made to put to an end the incessant harassment of developers particularly by youths who often times chase away investors who are ready to do business in the state with illegal levies, and prohibits illegal and forceful entry into development sites.
Enforcement of this law is important for the state to witness speedy development.
Finally, whereas the comment by the Warri Delta state concerned citizen remains a mountain of fact that must not be ignored or described as a prank, the state government must for the sake of its reputation arrest further proliferation of miscreant activities in the state to prove to the world that they ‘’Agberos’ do not enjoy the state government backing as presently alleged in some quarters.
