The
Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Lagos, Mr. Olatunde Adepitan, has
described Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Lamido Sanusi’s call for
the sacking of 50 per cent of federal civil servants as being out of
tune with the realities in the country.The LG boss, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday in Lagos, said making the call at a time when thousands of graduates were unemployed, could only worsen an already bad situation.
He said, “His reason for suggesting such a measure might be economic, but it is definitely out of tune with the realities on ground. Thousands of graduates come out of universities every year without securing employment. If the number Sanusi is suggesting is added to the number of unemployed graduates, then we will have problems on our hands.”
Instead of sacking, Adepitan suggested massive diversification into agriculture, where modern technology would be made available to those who are interested in farming.
“We have arable lands everywhere in this country. Just take a look at the stretch along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Some of these lands could be acquired by the Federal Government for agriculture. If there are incentives, graduates would be attracted,” he stated.
Adepitan praised the Federal Government for terminating the concession contract on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and handing it over to Julius Berger Plc and RCC.
He stated, “I want to commend the federal government for having the political will to terminate the concession with the former contractor. Many lives have been lost on that road due to its deplorable state. We hope the new contractors would move to site, after the necessary papers have been signed, and reconstruct that road to international standard.”
On the provision of a new library for students and people of the council, Adepitan said the residents were eager to start making use of it. He said the library was already being stocked with books, through public-private partnerships, and would be open to the public in January 2013.
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