Akwa Ibom Youths Protest Betting Ban, Warn Of Rising Unemployment

Angry youths in Akwa Ibom State have protested the state government’s ban on unlicensed gambling activities, including online betting, pool betting and other football-related gaming, warning that the measure could worsen the hardship facing unemployed youths and graduates in the state.

The protest followed a directive by the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS) ordering unlicensed operators of online betting, pool and other related gaming activities to stop operations and report to its Pool and Betting Department at the State Secretariat to register and obtain the necessary licences.

Chairman of AKIRS, Mr Okon Okon, said the directive became necessary because some operators had refused to regularise their businesses.

“The Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS) wishes to inform all unlicensed operators of online bettings, pool, and other related gaming activities to stop operations.

“Accordingly, the Service hereby directs all persons and businesses engaged in the aforementioned businesses without proper registration report to the Pool and Betting Department at the State Secretariat to formally register and obtain necessary licenses,” Okon stated.

However, the directive has triggered angry reactions from some youths and operators, who described it as insensitive and capable of further worsening the economic difficulties confronting young people in the state.

A youth activist in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Ubong Dick, said the high level of unemployment in Akwa Ibom had made many youths dependent on small businesses and informal economic activities to survive.

“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Akwa Ibom ranks high in terms of high unemployment rate amongst other oil producing States in Nigeria,” Dick said.

Similarly, Imaobong Etim, a betting shop owner, questioned the level of taxation and other charges imposed on small businesses in the state, arguing that government should create an enabling environment for private businesses to thrive.

“This is an oil state and we know from available statistics how much comes into the coffers of the state every other month as statutory allocation from the federation account, yet all manners of multiple taxations including unofficial charges go on recklessly without effective regulation,” Etim said.

He added that other revenues available to the government should be channelled towards reviving the private sector and creating alternative employment opportunities for youths.

“Such huge liquidity should be deployed into the resuscitation of the comatose private sector towards creating alternative job avenues to contain the burgeoning jobless youths population to take their eyes off politics,” Etim stressed.

Recalling his experience, Etim said he was forced to establish a betting shop after graduating from university and failing to secure employment for more than five years.

“After graduating from the University over five years ago, my search for job was fruitless and I had to borrow funds with interest to set up a betting shop, targeting the youths and the football season, but the unfavourable government is about throwing me out of business,” he lamented.

Other unemployed youths also expressed fears that the closure of betting outlets could deprive them of one of their sources of income amid the prevailing economic hardship.

They warned that shutting down the outlets without providing alternative livelihood opportunities could increase petty crimes among youths.

“This is football season where we make some extra cash from bettings while enjoying ourselves by following our choice clubs in Europe, but the threat to shut down these outlets could trigger revolt, and we are ready to march because government only accommodate youths who have godfathers in politics,” one of the youths said.

The youths also alleged that employment opportunities and political appointments were largely influenced by connections, leaving qualified graduates without political backing at a disadvantage.

“Jobs and political freebies are only contracted out to politicians and friends of government to share to their cronies, while qualified graduates with no strong representative in government are left to bite the dust,” another youth lamented.

The youth further alleged that some civil service positions were being sold to applicants, claiming that the cost ranged from N300,000 to N500,000.

A media professional, who requested anonymity, alleged that he was asked to pay N300,000 after his wife successfully went through the interview process for a civil service position, with an initial payment of N100,000 demanded as an advance.

“My wife applied for job in the civil service, despite having all the necessary qualifications and was able to scale through the interview process, I was asked to pay N300,000, but with initial advance fee of N100,000,” he disclosed.