NAN-H-59
Youths
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Aug. 11, 2017 (NAN) Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara on Friday said his government had completed work on a new policy to address the challenges facing youths in the state.
Ahmed, represented by the Head of Service, Hajia Zahra Umar, said this in Ilorin at a forum to mark this year’s International Youth Day which had as theme: ” Youth Building Peace.”
The governor gave an assurance that his government was committed to implementing policies and programmes that would have positive impact on youth development.
He said youths as critical stakeholders in driving the growth of the state must remain committed to the attainment of peaceful co-existence.
The Chairman of the occasion and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad, urged youths to be active in politics while participating in the decision making process.
Ahmed, who was represented by a lawmaker, Mallam Ahmad Ibn Muhammad, also urged the youths to participate actively in the forthcoming local government election in the state.
The former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin, Prof. Hassan Saliu, stressed the need for more advocacy among youths to promote peace.
He said states must also preach the concept of one country to achieve peace and development in the country.
Saliu, who cautioned youths against hate speeches, urged them to lead advocacy for rapid development.
In another lecture, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Mallam Bolaji Abdullah, said lack of parental care and weak laws were responsible for the rampant consumption of illicit drugs among youths.
Abdullahi, represented by Mr Bisi Ogunwale, said 80 percent of inmates in Nigerian prisons were young persons.
He also warned the youths against fanning the embers of war and disunity on the social media.
In his address of welcome, the State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Kale Ayo, identified unemployment, poverty as well as the HIV/AIDs pandemic as challenges confronting Nigerian youths.
Ayo said government resolved to celebrate youths, especially those in tertiary institutions, as critical actors in conflict resolution by making them peace ambassadors.(NAN)
OOH/OJO
=======
(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)