Tinubu committed to youths inclusion in governance, Shettima assures

• …As NYCN charges FG on youth friendly policies

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will continue to involve the nation’s youth in all levels of governance, Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has reassured.

Shettima gave the re-assurance at the weekend while speaking at the grand finale of the 60th Anniversary celebration of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers’ State capital.

The Vice President emphasized that youth inclusion in governance is a cornerstone of the current administration.

Represented by his Technical Adviser on Women and Youth Engagement, Hauwa Liman, the Vice President noted that the Tinubu’s administration is the first to offer extensive opportunities to the nation’s youth, underscoring the administration’s strong belief in the aspirations of Nigerian youths.

According to him, “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assembled some of the finest young people in the country to form the backbone of his government and this is based on his conviction that you cannot plan for the future without the young ones at the decision making table.

“So youth inclusion to us is not just a promise, it is the cornerstone of our administration’s vision for Nigeria.

“From the outset, we have worked to ensure that young Nigerians are not only seen and heard but also have the power and included at every level of governance”he explained.

Shettima pointed out that the Tinubu administration has created numerous opportunities for youths to thrive in various fields, which he believes reflects the government’s commitment to empowering the youth and driving the real change the country requires.

His words, “Today, we stand as a government that has opened doors for young people like never before. Many of our Ministers are your peers.

“Your inclusion is more than a presentation. It is about creating opportunities that translate into real change.

“This administration has prioritised initiatives that empowers young people to excel in education, entrepreneurship and the creative and data industry.

“We have launched the transformative programme like the Presidential Initiative for Youths Enterprise Clusters backed by N110bn Naira to support young entrepreneurs across agriculture, technology and industry.

“The Youths Investment Fund continues to provide critical financial support for start-ups and small businesses and ensuring that young Nigerians can turn their ideas into thriving ventures.

“In the digital and creative sector where our youths have already proven their global competitiveness, we have rolled out a $618m United Dollars initiative designed to support tech and creative enterprises,” he added.

The Vice President stated that, to reinforce these commitments, the government is working on establishing a National Youth Development Bank and a youth data bank to provide young Nigerians with the resources, information, and opportunities they need to succeed.

Shettima further cited the National Education Fund and the student loan scheme as additional government initiatives aimed at securing the future of Nigerian youths.

The Vice President thus encouraged the nation’s youth to take full advantage of the many opportunities available to improve their lives and contribute to the country’s progress.

Continuing, he said, “As we celebrate this milestone, I challenge you to cease this moment, embrace innovation, creativity and hard work. Let your generation be the one that transformed Nigeria into a beacon of democracy, development and progress.

“Your voices are heard, your contributions are valued and your future is being shaped by the decisions you influence today,” he said.

Speaking at event, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, represented by the Chief of Staff of the Government House, Ehie Edison, stated that his administration is deeply focused on youth development.

Fubara explained that this is why many young people have been given the opportunity to hold leadership positions.

He pointed out that in Rivers State, the majority of local council chairmen, their deputies, and councillors are youths, with three of them being members of the NYCN.

His words, “This government is surrounded by youths who are very resourceful and are contributing immensely to governance, development of the state.

“We have commissioners who are youth ambassadors, large percentage of executive chairmen and vice chairmen are youths in their primes. Councillors are youths and this goes a long way to show that the governor is very very youth friendly,” he said.

While congratulating the National Executives of NYCN on the celebration, he praised the National President, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, for maintaining the legacy of the youth council.

Earlier, the National President of NYCN, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Government for hosting Nigerian youths during their 60th anniversary celebration.

He recalled that for six decades, the Council has been actively involved in shaping the future of Nigerian youths through positive initiatives.

Sukubo used the opportunity to urge government officials at all levels to implement policies that will improve the country’s situation and alleviate the current hardships being faced.

The youth leader also encouraged Nigerian youths to acquire skills and not solely depend on white-collar jobs, which are not easily accessible in the country.

“I charge Nigerian youths to look beyond what they call white-collar jobs and focus on skills and we should grow in technology to impact on the society. We should not wait anymore for government”, he said.

Continuing, he stated, “We are also appealing to the Federal Government to make policies that can accelerate economic growth in our dear country,”.