NAN-H-80
Agents
By Taiye Baiyerohi
Lagos, Feb. 21, 2017 (NAN) Some travel and tour agents in Lagos have called on the Federal Government to intensify effort in job creation to ensure that Nigerian youths were engaged positively.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Tuesday in Lagos that job creation was not only critical in curbing the rising crime rates; it would also ensure the youths contribute their quota to national development.
Mr Olubunmi Oshindero, the Chief Executive Officer of Boomtrust Travels and Tours said that the Federal Government needed to pay utmost attention on job creation to enable Nigerian youths stay in the country to grow the economy.
He suggested that empowerment programmes could be organised in all the states of the federation to get them positively engaged, saying that this would assist in curbing crime rates.
“The country is seriously at a cross road presently as majority of its citizens are no longer interested in developing it because of joblessness and the economic recession,’’ he said.
He said that in spite of the cumbersome process involved in visa procurement, Nigerians were still very much interested in travelling out of the country.
“I get loads of Nigerians indicating interest in travelling out of the country and the most embarrassing thing is that they are opting for countries that are below Nigeria in terms of development.
“When our people are engaged, and they could afford to live average lives, then they will think less of moving out,’’ he said.
A travel consultant, Mr Olaniyan Lawal, said that he had observed greater desperation in the unemployed Nigerians to seek greener pastures abroad since the beginning of economic recession.
Lawal urged the Federal Government to do everything within its reach to empower the Nigerian youths.
“The Federal Government should wake up to the need of its citizens, people are no longer comfortable with the situation of things,’’ he said.
Mr Ahmed Rasak, a staff with Peacock Travels and Tours, said that many Nigerians were now travelling for important missions as some only go for vital business engagements and others to stay permanently.
He said that the rate at which people go for vacation had reduced as they were more interested in leaving the country.
“A lot of Nigerians starve to gather money to procure visas because they have lost every hope that anything good can come out of the country.
“The Federal Government needs to act fast and ensure these people stay to move the country forward,’’ he said. (NAN)
PTB/FF/GY
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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Grace Yussuf