International Youth Day: Nigerian youths urge govt to pay attention to unemployment

Nigerian Youths have appealed to government at all levels, especially the Federal Government to pay attention to youth unemployment and save the nation from stagnation.

The call came as Nigerian youths celebrate the 2019 International Youth Day in Abuja, lamenting the widespread and high level of unemployment among the vibrant young and talented youths in the country.

The International Youth Day is celebrated on August 12 every year across the globe to re-enforce the commitment of world leaders to pay closer attention to youth development issues.

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The celebration presents an opportunity for government at all levels to deliberate on ways to engage young people to become more actively involved in the nation building process.

In collaboration with the youth wing of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Actionaid Nigeria through its Youth Organising and Leadership (YOL) project mobilised young people to mark the International Youth Day with the focus on  influencing public opinion and government actions on public finance and Gender Responsive Public Service in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Sport Development, Blessing Ifemenam, pointed out that to engender a responsive service delivery system in the country, public service should be publicly funded, publicly delivered, gender equitable and focused on quality in line with human rights frameworks.

She called on government to address the challenges young people face in the workplace, promote economic opportunities and ensure that public services are youth responsive.

The President of the NLC youth Committee, Comrade Victor Ekpo, also stated that inclusion of young people in employment, political, social and other spheres of life is a recipe for sustainable peace and national development.

He added that the commemoration of the International Youth Day was an opportunity to draw attention on the need to make employment accessible and inclusive for young people.

The rally brought together, young people from the NLC youth wing, Activists Platform, students and other youth networks. The young people emphasized on the need for government to reduce unemployment by paying attention to young people through the elimination of multiple taxation and increasing budgetary allocation to education.

This, according to them will reduce poverty and help young people live a decent life.