Worsening insecurity: Deploy more technology, tackle youth unemployment ― LCCI urges FG

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the federal government to deploy more technology, and intensify its efforts at tackling youth unemployment to enable it successfully address the worsening insecurity in the country.

The Chamber, in a statement signed by its president, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole and made available to Tribune Online, on Wednesday, stated that it had become imperative for the country to have a surveillance infrastructure that would enable it respond to emergencies and foil planned crimes.

The business advocacy group, therefore, called for more technology deployment that would allow intelligence gathering, provide a round-the-clock responsive surveillance, and track people’s movements and activities, especially in the nation’s troubled zones.

The Chamber also identified youth unemployment as a critical factor fuelling insecurity in Nigeria, while calling on the federal government to create more jobs that would engage the nation’s youths productively.

While commending the federal government for the huge amount of N2.41 trillion earmarked for defence and security sector in Year 2022, the Chamber however called for prudence, while also reiterating the need to ensure that proper checks were put in place to prevent a diversion of such funds.

“Federal Government’s budget may have reflected its commitment to resolving security challenges. We however need to be prudent with spending and put in place checks to prevent the diversion of funds to other uses like sponsoring political activities.

“In 2019, Nigeria had the third-largest military budget in Africa, behind only South Africa and Algeria. At the state and local government (LG) levels, governors and local government chairpersons have severally been accused of regularly mismanaging “security votes,” a monthly federal allocation towards security-related expenses within the states. There is a need for better accountability in the disbursement of these funds for suitable projects,” the Chamber added.

The group also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a National Council of State Meeting to deliberate on the several issues around politics, the economy, insecurity, and the forthcoming general elections.

“If we do not commit to a new order and a more enabled and innovative security architecture, soon, security will suffer a heavier blow once politics takes centre-stage in governance,” the Chamber added.