Corps members deserve N500,000 severance package —Obasa

Tajudeen Adekunle Obasa, representing Ojo Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives, in this interview speaks on the economic impact of the border closure by the Federal Government on his constituents, his representation since 2015 and his plans for his constituents. Excerpts:

For months now, the Federal Government closed all Nigerian borders and this measure has had various forms of effects on Nigerians, including your constituents. What do you think about this?

The border closure by the federal Government of Nigeria has both advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages are that it has encouraged local production of many commodities and the blockage of the importation of unauthorised firearms especially small arms into the country, which would have added to our existing security problems. The border closure has also led to the near total stoppage of the importation of substandard materials through the borders and the smuggling of such materials. Again, it has also discouraged illegal influx of foreigners into Nigeria and so on. We don’t know what might have happened to our country given the current problem of coronavirus that is bedevilling all the continents of the world. So, we should also take the positives. You see, there is no consumer nation that can ever be economically buoyant like producer nations. So, I want to believe that we need to appreciate our own work. It is when we can produce in large quantity that we can export the excess for financial gain. Thus if we want our country to be free from the bondage borrowing, we should develop the habit of appreciating our local production by making sure we are patronising and buying our own products.

Looking at the disadvantages, there is no nation in that is an Island to itself. Nations must depend on one another in one way or the other for sundry economic benefits. So by closing our border against foreign goods, it means that we will not have access to the foreign goods that we cannot do without and which we cannot produce by ourselves. Also, in an emergency situation like in case of internal security crisis in which we may need foreign countries for assistance, the opportunity may not be there as a result of border closure. Even in the area of health, there are some medical equipment which we may not be able to produce by ourselves in Nigeria.

 

The early passage the year 2020 budget by the National Assembly has been hailed by Nigerians but to what advantage is this on implementation?

Speaking honestly, it is a very good development for our country because it will enhance proper and full implementation of the budget of which, at the end of the day, the entire country will benefit greatly from. And I want to believe that we lawmakers in the National Assembly will ensure its 100 per cent implementation through proper monitoring during our oversight assignments. Early passage and signing into law of the yearly national budget should enhance full budget implementation at the end of each budget year. I will also implore the executive to be up and doing in their responsibility of ensuring its full and early implementation so as to help the nation to move forward.

 

Violence and related criminal activities have adversely affected the image of Nigeria before the international community. What do you think the Federal Government can do to?

The solution is very simple and that solution is to find jobs for all our youths immediately they are graduating from the universities. Though, it is true that government cannot get white collar jobs for every graduate but they can settle them through self-reliance. I believe you will want to ask me about how the government can do that; yes the government can do it successfully without stress. Thank God the federal Government had already introduced entrepreneurship skill into Nigerian institutions of higher learning. What the government should only do is to make sure that it is made compulsory for all the students and at the end of their graduation and one year service to their fatherland, the federal government should ensure that each of them is given, say N500,000 each to go and settle down with the entrepreneurship knowledge they have gained. The federal government should realise that just as the civil servants earn millions of naira as severance after serving their fatherland for years, they should also realise that the one year of NYSC Scheme is also a service to the fatherland for which these youths deserve a severance package of at least ₦500,000 after their one year of meritorious service just like civil servants who served their fatherland and retire with a severance of several millions of naira. And this money should not be given to them as loans but as their own take home package. I believe with this, many of them, say about 80 per cent of them will utilise it well and become self-reliant and employers of labour. With that, unemployment and crime rate will naturally come down while our economy would be boosted. So, by estimation and with my statistical calculation of youths corps members every year, given each of them ₦500,000 naira will only cost the federal government less than one hundred billion naira in a year which is far less than N100 billion that the federal government is spending yearly to fight crime without any success or solution. So, this amount of less than N100billion for the severance of youth coppers should be incorporated into Nigeria’s yearly budget to be passed into law by the National Assembly for immediate implementation by the federal government. So, I want to believe if this opportunity can be given to our youths, Mr. President himself will know that they are not lazy because they will utilize the money well.

 

How do you see the formation of Western Nigeria Security Network popularly known as Amotekun by the South West governors?

Formation of Amotekun by the governors of the South West is a very good development whereas the Federal government was only playing politics with the people’s life. I believe that the Yoruba people cannot remain silent while their people are killed like fowls by herdsmen, kidnappers and bandits just as its happening in some parts of the country. It is not only the Yoruba people that will benefit from the security protection to be provided by this security outfit. Even the non-Yoruba that are residing in the region will equally benefit. So allowing Amotekun security outfit to operate in the South Western cannot lead to secession but will rather strengthen the security of not just the region but the entire country. Mobilising for internal security in response to a call for protection of life and property doesn’t amount to a call for secession.

 

Not many of the current lawmakers are finding the experience one easy nut to crack. For you, how has representing the people of Ojo Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the National Assembly been so far?

It has been an interesting and encouraging experience. Actually, it was the quest for qualitative and all-round representation that prompted me to contest for the House of Representative seat in the 2015 election and I am happy that my people voted for me overwhelmingly under the banner of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Thankfully, I represented them meritoriously between 2015 and 2019, that’s why they decided to re-elect me on the ticket of the PDP during the 2019 National Assembly election because of the trust they already have in me. So far, I have achieved a lot in terms of bringing federal presence to my constituency, assisting the market men and women, artisans, farmers and students financially. We have done well to woo foreign investors into my constituency, constant visitation to my constituents to know their areas of need as well as putting several measures in place to ensure proper security of life and property in my constituency. One of the ways through which we get to know what my constituents want is the constant rendering of an account of stewardship to them. Beyond these, I have sponsored meaningful and people-oriented bills that have touched directly on the life of my people; supporting of reasonable motions and bills by my colleagues on the floor of the house, among others many other duties.

 

 

 

 

 

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