The Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) have resolved to work out a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to address the challenges of drug abuse and other social vices in the northeast region.
The minister of state for youth development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with the management team of the NEDC, headed by Alhaji Mohammed G Alkali.
The two leaders expressed concerns about the menace of drug abuse in the region and the fact that it had permeated all strata of society and the family.
Olawande, however, said he was impressed by the impacts of NEDC in the Northeast after undertaking a tour of areas affected by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Olawande urged the commission not only to sustain its programmes aimed at restoring hope and confidence in the region but also to collaborate with his Ministry to end the menace of drug abuse and addiction, particularly amongst the youths of the region.
He said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be worked out by the two government institutions to make more impacts in youth engagement, empowerment, rehabilitation, training, and support for them to contribute meaningfully to the overall development of the country.
The minister regretted that for a long time, the youths have been neglected and disconnected from government activities, creating room for frustration and resorting to drug abuse and other unwholesome practices.
The Minister further said his Ministry is currently on a one-Youth-one-ward intervention programme across Nigeria to recalibrate and refocus the energy of Nigerian youths towards productive engagements capable of transforming the socio-economic outlooks of Nigeria.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali said the NEDC would support the Ministry to deliver its intervention programmes as they were parts of the strategic Master Plan of the NEDC for the restoration of the region.
Alkali said NEDC has gone deep with the Master Plan encapsulated in eleven Pillars which address youth development and empowerment in agriculture, Information and Communications Technology, (ICT), commerce, and education amongst others.
Alkali explained that NEDC had taken the challenge to reach all the states, local governments, and wards in the entire Northeast following the devastating effects of Boko Haram insurgents’ activities on infrastructures and critical assets.
Read Also: Oyo Youth Ministry, DAAD announces bootcamp
“When we started, the whole of education infrastructures and assets in the Northeast were affected. Many teachers were killed because Boko Haram means Western Education is not good or acceptable. Teachers were discouraged.
“So we started building mega schools, ICT centres, and other assets. Today we have built 18 Mega schools, and 18 ICT centres, 3 in each state and one per Senatorial zone. We have also trained hundreds of young people in handset repairs and metering for electricity distribution companies. And some of them have been employed by the DISCOs”, Alkali said.
The NEDC boss admitted that 15 years of insurgency has created enormous challenges for people in the region, but assured that the right partnership and physical demonstration of commitment by all stakeholders would change the narratives of the region for the better.