As the world marks the International Youth Day 2020, at a time when there are ferocious calls for inclusive governance, true federalism and the assurance of the fundamentals of human rights, leading Civil Society group, Connected Development, CODE has charged the Nigerian Government on the urgency to protect Nigeria’s future by accelerating supports for young people.
It is predicted that by 2030, half of Nigeria’s population will be under the age of 25, yet only a handful of Nigerian youths are worthy of appraisal.
Despite that young people are the hope and future of the country, they continue to experience low productivity, loss of earning opportunities, and are confronted with challenges that frustrate their innovations and creativity.
During a recent interview, Chief Executive of CODE, Hamzat Lawal, acknowledged the recent approval by President Muhammadu Buhari of the sum of N75 billion Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), as a special window for Nigerian youths to access credit facilities and financing that will help to fund their ideas, innovations and also support their enterprise.
He, however, noted that many Nigerian youths have been burnt by empty promises and have lost faith in the system, as young people are migrating from the country to seek an enabling environment for their dreams and aspirations.
Lawal stated that the current leadership must do better to protect the youth, adding that, while the NYIF is a welcome initiative, it is not enough to rebuild years of mistrust.
According to him, “Insecurity, the harassment of youth by dubious persons posing as SARS or the Nigerian Police to exploit the youth, must also be addressed. As we fight for an increase in youth engagement for global action, we also demand that the unemployment rate is tackled”.
Also speaking on the importance of youth to nation building, CODE’s Communications Lead, Kevwe Oghide, stated that we must celebrate the youth who are defying all odds to make a difference.
She emphasized that the Government at all levels must trust young people with greater responsibilities in governance, policy and development as this can yield great societal benefits.
“Suppressing their voices and neglecting issues and challenges that young people face can lead to the pursuit of self-serving purposes, crime and vices that are detrimental to the future of Nigeria”, she said. “The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development must do more to ensure that the youth are protected”.
