Group calls for empowerment, development of youths in Kaduna State

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The OpenGov Youth Innovation Hub in collaboration with other key sakeholders have emphasized the need for system strengthening to support youth development and empowerment in Kaduna state.
The stakeholders made the call during a program held in Kaduna yesterday with the theme:” System strengthening for effective youth development, empowerment and participation.”
The Head of Leadership, Governance and Advocacy of the Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), Mr Yusuf Goje, said the Demographic Dividends Report for Kaduna State, 2019 “Kaduna State has one of the largest proportion and numbers of youths in Nigeria, it is important to plan for how they can be part of, and contribute to the social and economic development of the State.
According to him, youths are the majority in Kaduna State, by analysis, they are about 81 percent below thirty-five so it means that government policies and programs should be geared towards the majority of residents in the state which the youths and children represent.
“We hope to see more multi-sectorial collaborations in terms of youth empowerment and development in the state, and in the issue of funding, we also want it to be prioritized. The government has done its own best in appointing a few young people but beyond that, we want to see a comprehensive system that caters for the young people in the State.”
“Over the years, the government has been organising youth empowerment and other interventions but the question is what is the outcome and how has it addressed issues that affect the youths? For example, We have the youth policy in Kaduna State but how effective has it been implemented? So considering all these, we understood that without a strong system, even with the empowerment and intervention from the government, it won’t translate to youth empowerment and development.”
Similarly, the chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter, Bagudu Nathaniel, emphasized the need for the inclusion of people with disabilities in governance.