From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government, through the Ministry of Youth Development, is updating its youth policy to better support the young population of the state.
Supported by the Lafiya program and FCDO, the review seeks to create a stronger, more inclusive policy that meets the needs of all youths in Kaduna State.
Honorable Commissioner of the Ministry of Youth Development, Barrister Gloria Ibrahim, stated that the policy review is a vital step toward improving the lives of young people in Kaduna State.
At a two-day validation workshop for the reviewed Kaduna State Youth Policy, organized by the Ministry of Youth Development with support from the Lafiya FCDO Programme, she emphasized that young people are very important to the current administration under His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani CON.
She said, “Our mandate is to improve the lifestyle and quality of life for the youths of Kaduna State, and this policy review is a key part of that effort.”
The process has included input from various stakeholders, such as government officials, youth-led groups, academics, civil society organizations, media, and religious youth groups.
Commissioner Ibrahim also encouraged Kaduna State youth to stay hardworking and focused. “To the youth of Kaduna State, you are not lazy, you are hardworking,” she said. “Keep being hardworking, keep improving yourselves, and aim to be the best you can be.”
The Lafiya program, a major partner in the review process, has been praised for its support. Commissioner Ibrahim expressed gratitude, saying, “We are very grateful for this partnership with Lafiya. They’ve been a great encouragement, and we have been succeeding together.”
Yusuf Ishaku Goje, Executive Director of Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, noted that the new policy will lead to meaningful changes, especially in addressing institutional capacity gaps that hampered the implementation of the previous policy.
“The old policy was carried out during the last administration, but the Ministry of Youth and Sports was dissolved, and the youth component was transferred to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development as a department,” Goje explained.
“This affected the department’s ability to implement the policy. But now that we have a new ministry established by the current administration, we are confident that there is now the institutional capacity and structure to ensure that the key parts of this policy are delivered.”
The youth policy review has also emphasized the importance of inclusivity, especially for young people with disabilities. Aaron Samaila, President of the Association of Students with Disabilities at Kaduna State University, highlighted the need for data on youths with disabilities to ensure their specific needs are addressed.
“We recognized that there was no data for youths with disabilities in the state, and the bureau of statistics said they are working on it,” Samaila said. “I hope that this aspect will be covered, which will help the government promote inclusivity.”
Stakeholders gathered to finalize and validate the reviewed Kaduna State Youth Policy, stressing the importance of youth involvement in governance and politics. Goje urged young people to take charge of their future and not wait for others to create the Nigeria they want to see.
“Youths must understand that they are not the leaders of tomorrow; they are actually the leaders of today,” Goje said. “They cannot postpone their today to tomorrow. If they are going to build a brighter future, the responsibility is on their shoulders to do so.”
As the stakeholders close in on finalizing the youth policy, the goal is for it to bring positive changes to young people’s lives in Kaduna State, empowering them to contribute to the state’s development and become leaders in their own right.
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