An elder statesman, and former Acting Chairman of All Progressive Congress(APC), Chief Bisi Akande said Nigerian lawmakers, who are arguably the highest paid in the world are presiding over a majority of the world’s poorest people as a result of decadence in the Nigerian system.
Akande made the remarks in Iwo, Osun State.
Akande stressed that the Nigerian educational system is lopsided and decadent, providing graduates only certificated but not employable.
He said the menace of graduate unemployment have jacked up the level of poverty and misery in the Nigerian society, arguing that the same system paradoxically produced very rich Nigerian lawmakers.
“The Nigerian lawmakers, who are not necessarily the brightest nor the best, are being reported to be among the best paid, if not the highest paid in the world: a lawmaker’s average annual salary is said to be $118, 000, equivalent to 63 times the country’s per capital in 2013.
” So, we have the world’s highest paid lawmakers to preside over a majority of the world’s poorest people, the paradox therefore is that as our country gets richer, only a few benefits from the increasing national wealth, while majority continues to suffer from poverty, penury, and deprivation “, Akande said.
The former governor of Osun State charged government at the centre to quickly find a lasting solution to the issue of unemployment among the youth, saying widespread unemployment breeds hunger, which naturally push youth to series of social vices.
Akande, however, faulted the 1999 constitution for what he termed a ” platform for socioeconomic inequality that constitutes the major obstacles to peace among various federating components of the country”.
He opined that the 1999 constitution creates room for political domination and subjugation that breed revolts and community disharmony, coupled with national insecurity.
“The bad constitution of 1999 has now begun to stimulate demands for ethnic self determination and economic security, otherwise being called resource control, or restructuring, whatever name you call it, community disharmony is a burden on national security and it is dangerous for economic development and peace”, he stressed.
