Peace Corps Commandant, Dickson Akoh wants the federal government to embrace a human-centric view to security rather than increase funding of agencies.
The National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh, has advised the federal government against excessive spending on already existing security agencies.
Speaking at the launch of Glamour Magazine in Abuja on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, Akoh urged the federal government to embrace more human-centric view to security.
Represented by the deputy national commandant on administration, Edet Ekpeyong, said it would be near impossible to solve Nigeria's security challenges given the country's increasing population.
Presenting a paper titled ''Youth Unemployment and National Security', Akoh lamented the rate of unemployment in Nigeria, which according to him, was responsible for insecurity and other social vices in the country.
"Youth unemployment is a global trend but occurs mostly in developing countries of the world with attendant social, economic, political and psychological consequences," Akoh announced.
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"Massive youth unemployment in any country is an indication of far more complex problems and an opportunity for youth to be actively engaged by politicians, warlords, criminal gangs, illegal migration syndicates thus making such youth readily available for antisocial criminal activities that undermine the security of the society.
"For too long, the Nigerian government had restricted security matters to its security agencies and has carried on as if continued spending on these institutions could guarantee security of life and property. Sadly, that kind of thinking is now anachronistic and has been replaced with more human-centric view of security.
In the last two decades especially, most of the conflicts that have bedeviled states are not external in nature. They were mainly internal dynamics that could not be totally overcomes by high military build-up," the Peace Corps commandant declared.
Akoh urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind his decision and reconsider the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, which according to him would provide vast opportunities for youths to be productively engaged.
President Buhari had withheld assent to the Peace Corps bill sighting paucity of funds.
Reacting to President Buhari's decision on the Peace Corps bill, Akoh described it as a conspiracy against the Nigerian youths.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has reintroduced the bill, a move target at overriding President Buhari's veto on the piece of legislation.