We must empower youth to end insecurity in Nigeria ― Fayemi

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has identified youth empowerment as a means of checkmating crime rate in the society; stressing that his administration remained committed to its youth development and empowerment agenda.

The governor who stated this in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital at the inauguration of the State Youth Development Committee on Thursday said his administration is not unmindful of the challenges such as unemployment and poverty among others which the youth are facing.

Fayemi who was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Hon Biodun Omoleye, said his government is currently making deliberate efforts to address some of the challenges through various intervention programmes in different sectors in the state.

He explained that his administration decided to set up the youth committee in order to harness various potentials embedded in the youths and position them as the future of the nation.

He said: “As a government, we believe that we must empower the youths because they are the future of any nation, hence the need to give them adequate attention under our administration. If youth are empowered, the crime rate in the society will drastically reduce. And the idle hand is the devil’s workshop, so they say.

“As a responsive and responsible government, we deliberately ensure that the youth is equitably represented in this administration by engaging many political office holders who are below the age of 45 years and placing them in key positions. The step is to promote youth development through activities and experiences that will help them develop socially, ethically, emotionally, physically, and with cognitive competencies.”

Fayemi added that the initiative would help the teeming youth to build on their competence, confidence, character and connection for their own benefit and that of the society.

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The governor charged the youth to shun crime and intake of hard drugs or any acts that can truncate their future.

“You should not relent on your oars but work harder for more developmental programmes for the youth. Let us all get the youth seriously involved in the task of building our State and socio-economic development. When you develop the youth, you are developing the nation,” Fayemi said.

He added that they should always embrace dialogue to achieve peace as development can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE