Association tasks govt stakeholders on security, employment challenges
Left to Right: Mr. Bola Thompson, Dr. Olabisi Awosanya, President of AWON, Mrs. Grace Oluwatoyin, and Alhaja Fadilah Balogun at a news conference by the Association of Women Orientation for Sustainable Development in Nigeria (AWON), on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Association of Women Orientation for Sustainable Development in Nigeria (AWON) has called on governments at all levels and other stakeholders to jointly address the employment and security challenges currently confronting the country.
AWON, a women’s coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), made the call at a news conference on the challenges facing Nigeria, on Tuesday in Ibadan.
AWON’s President, Mrs. Grace Oluwatoyin, said that the federal, state, and local governments must rise up to the issue of unemployment and security challenges in the country as well as the suffering of the masses.
According to her, it is increasingly difficult for many citizens to feed themselves, adding that this needs to be given serious attention.
She called on all stakeholders to work in collaboration with the government in tackling the issue of insecurity in the country and create jobs in order to reduce unemployment, stressing that government alone cannot do it.
Also speaking, a member of AWON, Dr. Olabisi Awosanya called on citizens to shun corruption to pave way for a better Nigeria.
He described corruption as cancer destroying the nation’s economy and affecting its image negatively in the comity of nations.
“We must all be positive role models, while government and citizens must shun corruption for the good of the country.
“Parents must counsel their children on negative effects of social vices, such as internet fraud, among others, for them to channel their talents to things that will be beneficial to the country for a better society,” she said.
Awosanya called on the government to invest in technology in order to fortify the borders and tackle the current insecurity in the country.
In her contributions, another member of the association, Mrs. Bola Thompson, called on Nigerians to unite and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnic or religious beliefs.
In her remarks, Alhaja Faozat Alabi, also of AWON, advised the government to address infrastructure challenges in the education sector, saying that there could not be effective learning without good infrastructure.
Alabi, who noted that the country was blessed with brilliant students, however, expressed the regret that the infrastructure that could aid effective learning was not available.
She called on the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) to work together to end the lingering strike in the universities.
In their contributions, Dr. Olusade Taiwo and Mr. Adepoju Alabi called on Nigerians to invest in agriculture and security for the development of the country.
