A former Director, Research Department of Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Titus Okunrounmu, has emphasised the need for the Federal Government to provide more jobs for youths this year to reduce security challenges in the country.

Mr Okunrounmu who spoke on Tuesday in Ota, Ogun State, said that insecurity and unemployment were two sides of the same coin.

The former CBN director said that an increase in unemployment would automatically lead to rising security problems in the country.

“An idle hand is the devil’s workshop.” he said.

Mr Okunrounmu noted that most of the kidnappings, banditry and herdsmen/farmers crisis, among others, were fuelled by the increased unemployment situation in the country.

He said, “There is the need for the Federal Government to do the needful for the economy to grow and embrace good governance in 2024.”

Mr Okunrounmu appealed to the government to leverage on agriculture through the fertile lands and modern equipment on massive farming, to employ the youth to prevent them from engaging in social vices.

He stated, “The country could respond to God’s grace by farming and constant heavy rain to solve some of the current problems in the country. In addition, God has given us all these resources and population so that Nigerians would not suffer.”

(NAN)