N5,000 stipend will make youths unproductive – Alapa

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Nelson Alapa, has expressed reservations over the planned disbursement of N5000 monthly to unemployed youths, saying it will do no good. He expressed concern that the process may be abused, making youths redundant and unproductive and advised that instead, if such fund is available, it should be channelled into vocational training where youths can learn skills of their choice after which the funds can be accessed to aid them in their chosen trade. Alapa also called for the diversification of the nation’s economy against the backdrop of falling oil prices in the international market which is currently affecting the Nigerian economy negatively. He commended the federal government’s policy direction towards agriculture which he said is the only alternative to the current economic quagmire and urged the youth to embrace it. According to him, “We must diversify our economy against the backdrop of falling oil prices in the international market to enable us as a nation move forward and overcome the challenges we are facing. “It’s time we as a nation begin to work in the direction of agriculture which is the only alternative to the current economic quagmire and I also want to use this opportunity to urge the youth to embrace this gesture.”