By Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to open up the economy as a way of tackling youth unemployment.

In a statement on Saturday, which he personally signed, Atiku described youth unemployment as an emergency, stressing that the situation number is exacerbating insecurity across the nation.

The statement said: “What Nigeria needs now, perhaps more than ever, are jobs and an opening up of our economy, especially after today’s report by the National Bureau of Statistics indicated that foreign capital inflow into Nigeria is at a four year low, having plummeted from $23.9 billion in 2019, to just $9.68 billion in 2020.

“Already, the nation suffered severe economic losses from the border closure, and the effects of the #COVID19 pandemic.

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“This is definitely the wrong time to introduce policies that will restrict the inflow of capital into Nigeria, and I urge that the policy to prohibit the dealing and transaction of cryptocurrencies be revisited.

“It is possible to regulate the sub sector and prevent any abuse that may be inimical to national security. That may be a better option, than an outright shutdown,” he said.

Stating that there is already immense economic pressure on the youth population, Atiku charged the Federal Government to reduce the pressure, rather than adding to it.

“We must create jobs in Nigeria. We must expand the economy. We must remove every impediment towards investments. We owe the Nigerian people that much,” he added.