NAN-H-106
Youths
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) Rev. Tor Ujah, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), has enjoined youths to participate in the nation’s quest for freedom from economic hardship.
Ujah made the call during a courtesy call by the leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the nation was only enjoying political freedom but had yet to achieve economic independence.
According to him, if this nation will be free, the youths must rise up because it is a battle of ideas and not a battle of guns and knives.
“I will like all of you to participate in Nigeria’s match to freedom because Nigeria is independent as political nation but the country is to yet free.
“We face many bottlenecks, bondages and chains and that is why we have the economic crisis that we have.
“Our bondage shows in our local affairs and in our international linkages but the battle for freedom is a battle for the youths.
“All those who are using guns and knives are weak because weakness brings violence but strength brings ideas and I want Nigerian youths to get involved in developing ideas.’’
Ujah suggested a youth development conference where NCPC and the council could dialogue, create and set up the template for certain actions.
He pledged that the NCPC would support Nigerian youths and provide more opportunities for youths to participate in Christian Pilgrimage at cheaper rates.
The executive secretary advised youths to engage in developmental programmes that would showcase their strengths, stressing national development needed the strength of the youths to thrive.
“I have written letters and I am in dialogue with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Bank of Agriculture, the Bank of Industry and a few of other institutions, asking them to set aside a fund.
`We want to directly invest this fund in our youths, especially those who want to get involved in practical development ventures that may not be a traditional direction everybody is expecting.
“I want all of you to carefully begin to conceive and to make a brief of some development projects you think you would like to engage in.
“Every young man and woman is an asset to this nation and I would like our nation to value our youths and to give them attention instead of exploiting them.
“I want every Nigerian youth to know that they are the strength of this nation because without your strength, this nation will go nowhere,’’ he said.
Earlier, the National President of NYCN, Mr Murtala Garba, commended the commission for its youth programmes especially in the area of youth pilgrimage and agricultural skill acquisition.
Garba said the purpose of the visit was to identify with NCPC on those programmes, adding that Nigerian youths were faced with so many obstacles in their quest for advancement.
He, however, urged the NCPC boss to pay more attention to youths in the area of opportunity to participate in the pilgrimage to the Holy land. (NAN)
OYS/NKO/NKO
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Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo
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