THE Federal Government has tasked the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to work hard as a body to arrest the surge in the abuse of narcotic drugs amongst students, as this has become a national concern.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal, gave the charge on Tuesday when he received the Executive members of the NANS, led by the President of the Association, Comrade Aruna Kadir.
He urged them to also look into the issue of the violent crimes associated with cultism in campuses of tertiary institutions.
Lawal, said the situation has become a clear departure from the past when campus clubs represented the best examples of platforms for social and intellectual interactions in universities and polytechnics, across the country.
He assured them that the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration quite appreciates the role of youths in the political development of the country and that government is determined to provide employment for youths.
SGF, however, stressed that the youths too must take advantage of the diversification of the economy which emphasizes agriculture and solid minerals development.
He said these are two sectors that could provide mass employment for our youths. He assured them that government was ready to partner with the association in their areas of interest.
The President of the NANS in his address, thanked the SGF for the audience and expressed the support of the association for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, a statement by the Director, Press, SGF Office, Mr Bolaji Adebiyi said.
He explained that the student body was ready to partner with the Federal Government in specific areas such as the conduct of free and fair elections, entrepreneurship promotion, in the anti-corruption war, in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in healthcare delivery.
He confirmed that NANS will submit detailed proposals on these issues for the consideration of the Federal government.
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