The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youth

  • Defusing youth unemployment bomb

    Defusing youth unemployment bomb

    • By Sirajaddeen Mohammed Bello

    Sir: Among Nigeria’s many socio-economic challenges, one that stands out as the biggest threat, casting a gloomy shadow over both the present and the nation’s future is youth unemployment. It is a subject that elicits head shakes, furrowed brows, and a sense of impending doom.

    Youth unemployment isn’t just a problem; it’s an iceberg of colossal proportions. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated that Nigeria’s unemployment rate rose to 33.3% in the first quarter of 2023; translating to about 23.2 million people— youths majorly. Now, let’s face it, numbers don’t always tell the whole story. Picture this; some hundreds of thousands, nay, millions of mostly educated, bright young minds stuck in a seemingly endless and almost fruitless game of job hunting— a game where there are fewer opportunities and a mammoth crowd of players. It’s a perplexing paradox, navigating through such a complicated realm that occasionally resembles a labyrinth of bureaucracy and nepotism.

    Now, one might be wondering, why care about this one particular problem, youth unemployment. And even go on to declare it a “time bomb”?  A sizeable chunk of our youths are left idle, grappling with feelings of inadequacy, financial crisis and frustration. Do you think all will end well? This idle energy, if not given the needed attention and channelled constructively, can surely fester and lead to various social ills in unimaginably ugly ways. So, you see? It’s not just a ticking time bomb: it’s an evil fuse that could ignite a powder keg of problems for this country.

    It’s still not too late for the authorities to right this wrong. We’ve analysed the problem to an extent. Let’s talk solutions, because dwelling on problems only, without drawing out remedies is almost like writing a story with no plot.

    Nigeria’s youth is its greatest asset, brimming with creativity and untapped potentials. A serious country can’t afford to let this resource go to waste. More than ever, now is the time to bridge the gap between the skills our youths (are assumed to) possess and the skills demanded by the labour market. Various vocational trainings (not the usual ‘crash’ workshops that hardly change a thing!) and education system tailored to market needs can play a very important role. The government and the stakeholders in the private sector need to collaborate and determine what knowledge and skills young people should be taught in order to have rewarding jobs, taking into consideration how businesses are suffering from the skills mismatch.

    Read Also: NAF air strikes kill several terrorists, destroy four gun trucks in Borno

    Government should play a more active role in promoting appropriate education and capacity-building for the youth.

    Another equally important area to work on is entrepreneurship. In a country where the labour market is fiercely competitive, why not encourage more young entrepreneurs? Our youths are teeming with brilliant ideas waiting to be hatched. Government support, access to funds and mentorship programmes can nurture these promising— budding business moguls.

    Then technology and innovation. Nigeria’s burgeoning tech ecosystem offers a great hope. The digital world is surely a place where opportunities abound; for a tech-savvy. Government should then invest in technology infrastructure and create an environment that supports innovation and start-ups, as well as training and mentorship for young people. These, and many other initiatives centred on progress and empowerment can go miles in addressing our plight.

    The evil of unemployment in Nigeria is undoubtedly a ticking time bomb, but it doesn’t have to detonate. By investing in skills development, nurturing entrepreneurship, promoting innovative empowerments and retaining our trademark diligence, among others, we can defuse this albatross and unleash the incredible potentials of our youths.

    •Sirajaddeen Mohammed Bello,

    Yola, Adamawa State

  • LCCI advocates youth involvement, national patience

    LCCI advocates youth involvement, national patience

    • By Halimah Balogun and Zainab Olufemi

    The president of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Micheal Olawale-Cole has advocated for the enhancement of youth inclusion through job creation.

    He spoke during the visit to the Founder of Eleganza group of companies, Chief Rasaq Okoya at the Eleganza stand at the Lagos trade fair.

    Olawale-Cole recognized Chief Rasak Okoya’s commitment to involving the younger generation in business operations.

    Emphasizing the importance of succession planning, he urged entrepreneurs to engage their children in the business realm, envisioning a future free from poverty for the youth.

    “We business people should get our youths involved in business. That’s the way to get our youths out of poverty. Apart from creating jobs, let them also learn how to manage enterprises. We must keep developing our children otherwise there would be no succession planning once we’re old and passed away. Many Nigerian businesses have no business being closed down if not for poor succession planning, and Chief Okoya has done very well in that area. He has involved his children and family in the business and they’re taking good control in the business and my prayer is that they would take the companies to greater heights than what Papa has done”, he said.

    As he commended Okoya’s successful integration of his family into the Eleganza Industry, Olawale-Cole called for sustained patience and support for the new Nigerian government.

    He expressed optimism about the government’s healing efforts and anticipated a positive economic transformation from the second quarter of the following year.

    Read Also: Tinubu mourns death of Nigeria’s first female General at 84

    He said: “I also want to appeal to Nigerians, we need to be patient with the new Nigerian government. We must be patient because what is on ground is a damage of several decades, what we’re doing now is passing through the pains of the healing being brought into the economy of our nation by the new administration and I’m very confident that if we’re patient with them and pray and help them in our little ways with good ideas, from the second quarter of next year we’ll start seeing good changes in Nigeria. It can’t happen in 2,3,4 or even 6 months, it takes some time for healing to take place and then good health will come back”.

    The Iyalode of Lagos, Chief Dr. Mrs. Bintu-Fatimah Tinubu echoed the sentiment, stressing the necessity for youth discipline, parental guidance, and a national commitment to building a stable and prosperous future.

    She intensified her call for responsible behavior among the youth and underscored that success comes from diligently starting from the ground up.

    “What I have to say is just to advise the youths of today to be law-abiding, and listen to their parents”.

    Tinubu underscored the need for collaboration between parents, community leaders, and the government to impart crucial guidance to the younger generation.

  • Importance of youth inclusion in policymaking framework, by group

    Importance of youth inclusion in policymaking framework, by group

    Coordinator of African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Dr Chido Onuomah, has identified mainstreaming young people and the socially excluded into the policymaking framework as a major challenge facing the country.

    Onumah stressed that Nigeria must learn how to enhance the legitimacy and effectiveness of public policy and the administrative state by ensuring that their voices of the youths are factored in policymaking

    Onumah spoke at the policy roundtable on “New economic policymaking for equitable growth and social inclusion” by African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Social Action, and the International Institute for Journalism with support from Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

    According to him: “The challenge for Nigeria is how to enhance the legitimacy and effectiveness of public policy and the administrative state through mainstreaming young people and the socially excluded into the policymaking framework and ensure that their voices are factored in policymaking.

    “The process should start with introducing them to the issues and challenges of public policy in the era of neoliberalism and how the Nigerian state can tackle poverty and inequality.”

    He added: “Nigeria today faces many economic and social headwinds. The country has the highest unemployment rate in the world with 33.3 percent of its employable population not finding work to earn income.

    Read Also: PMI to equip youths for devt

    “The country has a youth bulge which means that many of its citizens are young persons who cannot find work to earn a living. The National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) reports that about 45% of Nigerians are living in acute income poverty. 143m Nigerians are multi dimensionally poor, lacking access to basic education and sanitation.”

    To address the current economic challenges in the country, the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought (ASSPT) in Nigeria, Dr Sam Amadi said economic policies should be democratised.

    Amadi stressed that the economy is a serious issue that should not be left for only the economists.

    He said there is the need to include all stakeholders, Civil Society Organisations and experts in the process.

    Amadi, who was the keynote speaker at the roundtable, noted that in the past, Nigeria’s has not had the kind of economic growth needed to improve the wellbeing of her citizens.

    He pointed out that economic principles on which economists derive their ideas and policies from are outdated and not in tandem with current economic realities.

    Read Also: Resist ‘japa’ syndrome, explore Nigeria’s opportunities, Soludo’s aide tells youths

    He therefore urged President Bola Tinubu to democratise the process of economic policies and not to leave it in the hands of the economists alone.

    He said “As a government proceeds it’s important to clarify the basis of policymaking and economic issues.

    “We have to democratise economic policies to make it to work and create a democratic prosperous states.”

    He further stressed that any policy that reduces the life span of the people is not a good economic policy.

    He also noted that Human capital development is essential for any national development and growth.

    Amadi stressed, “human beings are the first and the most important factor of production.”

    Emmanuel Usman-Shehu, Director International Institute of journalism said there should be equitable development and that equitable development should, amongst other things, first of all, ensure that there are economic modules in every community.

    “So you have economic development models in every community, and you replicate that across the communities of the country. And the modules should one include health, health, whatever basic health you want to ensure that you have in that in that budget number two transportation across across board, you know, sustainable transportation,” he added.

  • Youth yet to understand power of their talent

    Youth yet to understand power of their talent

    Ngozi Omambala is the CEO of NMO Management Limited. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, the newly appointed chairperson of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) creative and entertainment group talked about her priorities and the things she hopes to contribute to the development of the sector.

    From finance to entertainment, how has your background contributed to what you do today?

    As an entrepreneur in the entertainment industry and a fully-fledged advocate for the mitigation of Climate change, its impact on the Continent, and how we can incorporate renewable energy practices into business innovation, my financial background as a chartered accountant has been fundamental in understanding the creative business landscape often viewed as typically quite complex.

    I would like to think my credentials thus far have served well, as an asset to help create an industry that was still at the early stages of inception in 2007 when I came to Nigeria from the UK and became Head of Marketing in Nigeria for MTV Base Africa in 2008.

    It was the first time offices in Nigeria had been set up under the visionary MD president at the time, Alex Okosi.

    The first-ever historic MAMA Awards 2009 (Abuja) with a sold-out audience, was televised across the African Continent with an audience of 1.1 billion viewers. 

    This was definitely a historic milestone turning point for the industry landscape and personally.

    I received a UK Honorary Doctorate 2021 in Business Administration in Leadership and Strategy Management presented in Dubai UAE. In 2022, l completed an executive master’s intensive program in Accra, Ghana. This year I received the 2023 Diaspora Champion Award by the Diaspora Innovation Institute, Las Palmas, Spain.

    What does your recent appointment mean to you?

    It is an honour to be nominated as a sole nominee, uncontested and approved by the executive board as the chairperson of this prolific sector. I am proud to represent this vibrant and creative cultural hub in one of the most dynamic cities worldwide Lagos, Nigeria; the global hub of creativity. It is indeed a privilege to be given such a position in an organisation that is 135 years old.

    The principles involved in growing such an economic sector are similar to those used in nurturing any business ecosystem. I would like to think my experience of providing opportunities to support the future of the sector lies with the emerging youth and their development to allow for successful succession. Nigeria with a population of 233 million has the largest population of youth in the world.  Lagos has a population of 25 million, 60 percent are aged between 15-35.

    How can the youths in the sector benefit?

    Support and encouragement added with an enabling environment are key to addressing problems of youth empowerment in the entertainment sector. Over the last decade, NMO Management platforms have put youth development and empowerment as a priority. GBT Auditions talent hunt platforms through which many of today’s artists have come through during the early stages of their careers from music, runway modeling, fashion, and design to supporting visual arts.

    LCCI Creative and Entertainment group recognises the important role the youth demographic plays in the future growth of the sector.

    Youth themselves are yet to fully understand the power of their talent, its impact on economic transformational growth, and its impact on GDP. One only has to look at the gigantic strides globally, command, and pulling power displayed by our superstar Nigerian artists internationally. Grammy award winner Burnaboy performed at Loudnproudlive #2013 as an upcoming musician. His artistry even then was apparent, he even predicted his own success.  His perseverance faith, belief, and strong unwavering support system have taken him to where he rightly belongs.

    Read Also: oalition begs Tinubu for SSA on Youth Affairs

    Within LCCI we want to provide supporting strategies for a more conducive environment to facilitate growth support and productivity. With LCCI president Asiwaju Olawale-Cole at the helm, Deputy, Gabriel Idahosa and Director General, Chinyere Almona, and a supporting executive council infrastructure. We aim to partner with companies, institutions, and stakeholders to address issues and challenges.

    I recently had the opportunity to meet UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly and discuss the importance of collaborative opportunities and engaging diaspora within the arts. I also came from the UK where I was born, worked, and did my formal education.

    I am in discussions with a leading TV music network, they are currently working on packaging videos solely for the youth market, making them affordable. They will produce video to market songs thereby receiving valuable TV airplay and marketing and promotion.

    The sector is said

    to be a major contributor to the nation’s GDP, what is your take on that?

    Indeed it’s not difficult to see the enormous strides the entertainment sector has made in the last decade alone. The Nigerian entertainment Afrobeats phenomenon is now mainstream.  Our music for instance can be heard and enjoyed worldwide. Go to any part of the world and visit shopping malls and clubs. My taxi ride when I was recently in Paris had a string of Nigerian music tracks on his playlist and was conversant with all popular songs. Social media has opened up Afrobeats to the world. Artists are being booked for performances on global platforms and being paid top dollar to do so. I was present at the historic Burnaboy concert in London which took place with a sell-out 80,000 capacity crowd. Wizkid sold out 02 Arena in record time. This has a direct impact on GDP as does streaming, sales from related industries, example merchandise among others which will positively impact and add to revenue generation and growth.

    On the other hand, the Nigerian entertainment and creative industry has evolved with various established international corporate companies entering the sector. Artists need to understand the significant value of their intellectual property and its respective protection – whilst being in a position to monetise their craft without selling out. It is a lifetime business for successful artists, therefore securing their future assets is vital to their career and long-term prospects.  

    The business environment is no longer conducive due to the economic crisis in the country, in what way do you think, women entrepreneurs can navigate through so as to remain in business?

    The crisis affects all individuals and women are particularly prone to the effects of economic crisis by virtue of their position as homemakers. The traditional roles are changing as multiple income streams are keeping households afloat. With this, comes issues of affordability, escalating educational childcare against a harsh economic environment. Demands by professional and work responsibilities are added burdens.

    Women have always been resilient and amazing multi-taskers. Women need to keep their skills relevant and up-to-date in the workspace

    Within entertainment, I would like to see more mutual support for each other.  LoudNProudLive in 2011 was set up originally as a female-only platform to address gender disparity in the entertainment space – giving visibility and support within a newly created live music space. Many females came through and are household names today. They have not afforded the same sisterhood support and seemingly shut the door behind them. There is an evident lack of female succession within the creative and entertainment sector which baffles me.

    In light of this re ignited #femmefataleseries for young female creatives to partially address this. I however urge our female creatives to try and show by example and be the change we need to see. Male counterparts are trying within their own capabilities. Davido’s mantra: ‘we rise by lifting others’ comes to mind as selfless but shows compassion in business. The Industry needs to do better to inspire young girls with dreams in the arts and technical skills space.

  • Project Manager okays hostel facilities for youth games

    Project Manager okays hostel facilities for youth games

    The project manager for hostel accommodation at the ongoing 7th  National Youth Games ( NYG) in Asaba, Dr Ademola Are has stated that the shift in date of the games affected the  initial accommodation arrangements already made .

    Dr Are while speaking to the media at the  St. Patrick College,  venue of the rugby event of the games, said: “During preparations we were able to earmark Osadebey University, Infant Jesus Academy and Technical College which are notable schools with a good environment, good facilities and bunk beds that are expected to take care of over 5000 athletes and officials,” Are told journalists.

    “However, due to the postponement of the Games most of these institutions had to call back their students and as at the time the Games was going to take place they are already into their exams and we cannot drive them  back home without finishing  their exams,”

    “Because of this, the governor gave approval that we should just go ahead and make use of all the public schools available. Some of them have the double bunks, some do not. So, we needed to make do with what we have pending when the accommodation initially pencilled down can be available”

    Read Also: PSG owner tips Mbappe for Ballon d’Or

    “We did all this and ensured that those that came in first were given priority, getting their necessary accommodation. Osadebey University was expected to take care of 2500 Athletes and officials, Infant Jesus was expected to take care of 1500, and Technical College almost 2000. This might not be adequate because of the shortages we envisaged due to the presence of the students in the schools.

    “We need to look for alternatives, and these alternatives were not boarding schools, so we have to make arrangements, put in mobile toilets, and provide makeshift bathrooms to ensure that the children are adequately accommodated. As of today that I am talking to you, this has been done.”

    He added: “The pictures that have been circulated were the  ones taken at the earlier stage when we were still struggling to ensure that we house everybody.

     “There are no sports without the media but I would want our Media guys to fact-check before going to the press because as of today there is no such situation in any of our hostels’ he concluded.”

  • Youth group unveils global partnership with CITC

    Nigeria’s Creative Youth Community Development Initiative (CYCDI),  winner of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action Award in 2018, has partnered  CITC Global Consulting, a leading strategic management outfit based in Lagos, to drive SDG projects globally.

    CEO/Project Director of CYCDI, Foluke Michael, while signing the Memorandum of Understanding in Lagos, stated that the partnership with CITC was borne out of a desire to deepen the impact of the SDG goals in Nigeria and other countries.

    “Our new partner, CITC, comes with a high pedigree in strategic management and implementation and as the current Innovator Award winner of the UN SDGs, we have entered into this partnership to find more innovative ways of deploying solutions to global problems,” she said.

    CYCDI’s ‘Solution17’ project, one of the vehicles that is being used to deliver simultaneously on the 17 SDG goals, has been praised as one of the best delivery systems for the project globally.

    Tayo Orekoya, Managing Consultant of CITC, said his firm has created strategic solutions for leading local and international organisations in Nigeria and is committed to extending one of the unique competencies of the firm to exploring and delivering solutions to global problems.

    “Each of the 17 SDG goals is critical to the realisation of political, social and economic goals of a decent nation and for most countries in sub-Saharan Africa; what is needed is a strategic integration of these goals into their current and future plans which our firm would be helping to give life to,” Orekoya said.

  • Our Girls;  Youth; ASUU; Election- no violence, bribes

    Our Chibok girls were kidnapped on April 15, 2014. Inexplicably our Dapchi girl-child, 15, Leah Sharibu is not released.  Still more Boko Haram murders.

    The huge turnout of desperate youth for the nationwide #BigBrother Naija auditions is a pointer to the suffering and yawning chasm in the lives of the youth seeking solutions to the problem in their lives – access to a normal livelihood in which aspirations can be achieved by hard work and honesty. They are forced to fight for spaces in a sometimes disgraceful show of shameful human emotions that is voyeurism at its worst. But can these same youth translate or metamorphose that demonstrated attempt to solve this desperation into the need to act in the coming political arena, not as thugs but as keen voters immune to bribes? They know the cause of their lack of jobs is entirely political, greed and corruption-based all compounded by Nigeria being a country with the most expensive electricity supply in the world -generator power complicating business models and compounding the cost of doing business and being a customer in Nigeria for every single citizen. Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, has computed that approximately N246b was spent on generator fueling in two years. All this is transferred directly to the client or customer through higher charges.

    The youth voters we know are in their good numbers, enough to swing the election in any direction they want. Will the youth vote contribute to getting the needed political change and come out with similar dedication, conviction and tenacity to ensure that they all, and their friends and peers, vote on February 16? The youth vote can swing the election in any direction it wants. But it requires to be united to make the needed change. If it unites behind one candidate nationwide, it could place any president in power of its choosing. Fragmented, the youth vote will be of no impact. By the way some smart youth has printed a ‘Big Brother PQP’ for sale. Anything to survive. But there is a problem with the youth of corporate Nigeria’s making. The whole issue of ‘instant millionairism’ was started years ago in the promotional bonanzas and prizes across many companies. The youth were attracted to quick money without work. At its peak every day, they advertised one or 10 instant millionaire competitions amounting to N2-3billion/year. All these have corrupted the minds of the youth raising a few winners, many losers and many more frustrated with life.

    It a great disgrace to Nigeria that its youth struggling to face their studies at university are on the receiving end of the ASUU strike. Everywhere we run into frustrated youth, sitting at home frustrated beyond words as time ticks by, time that cannot be recalled, while government and ASUU posture and play the game of negotiation, TV dramatics and media grandstanding. Sadly government continues to shirk its responsibility to meet criminal shortfalls in the education budget responsible for the disastrous state of the universities being campaigned against by ASUU. It is always a pity that the Nigerian public stands aside and masquerades as innocent bystanders or a disinterested  crowd when such strikes occur and watch instead of coming down in favour of one or the other side based on wise counsel. We have not heard any outcry by a parent and guardian coalition or more importantly the alumni associations of the universities backs by facts and figures in favour of one side or the other. Analytical education news articles on the causes and consequences of the strike are sadly thin on the ground in number and especially in vital statistics. ASUU is notorious for being a poor public advocate of the need for a strike and public opinion is too often swayed against ASUU by fickle press stories. Nobody wants a strike. Any incoming government must face its enormous responsibility to clean up the mess created in education by serial underfunding of past governments whose heads sit on the Council of State and continue to mislead us into the future.

    The courts have finally forced the forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s N1b even as they have lost all credibility in the eyes of the public with judge after judge falling under the microscope but no all passing the anticorruption test.

    The arctic freeze is a reminder of the fragility of the earth and how lucky we are in Nigeria. Just imagine for a moment if we had such weather and such a poor power supply system. Just imagine how many would be frozen to death. So far, our greedy, selfish politicians, totally responsible for our situation of ‘the poorest power grid in Africa’ are very lucky that we are so complacent and the weather is so good to us and we accept and cope with the heat.

    As we prepare to vote next Saturday, look at the politicians you seek to place in power over you for the next four years and count the number of thugs they move around with. The more the thugs the less the sincerity. Please work for a peaceful election and keep as many photographs of any violence without endangering yourself. Death is permanent to thug and voter.  We want to vote without violence!

     

    • Uncover ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’ KNOWLEDGEABLE CANDIDATES for 2019 -SDG 16.

     

  • Women, youth stage rally for Buhari’s reelection in Kwara

    Scores of All Progressives Congress (APC) women and youth recently staged a peaceful rally in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection.

    The rally started around 9.30 am around the popular Post Office Round about in the metropolis and ended at the campaign office of a former APC governorship aspirant Isiak Kawu Modibbo in Sango area.

    The procession affected human and vehicular traffic on the popular Muritala Mohammed way, as vehicles were forced to move at snail pace.

    The rally was organised by Making A Different (MAD) for Kwara and Kawu Modibbo Group.

    In his remark at the event, the state APC Chairman Hon Bashir Bolarinwa urged aggrieved members of the party to forget their grievances and work for the success of the party at polls.

    Represented by his vice chairman Abdullahi Samari said “don’t sell your permanent voters’ cards to them. Your PVC is your power. If they bring money collect the money. After all it is our money. But don’t vote them.”

    Hon Bolarinwa urged other aspirants of the party to emulate the gesture of Isiak Kawu Modibbo.

    Speaking on behalf of the groups, wife of Mallam Modibbo Saadat said: “We are here today to mobilise youth and women in support of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing. He has been doing a great job in the country and we need to show people what he has been doing.

    “The crowd that accompanied us from Post Office to this place is amazing. It is an assurance that Kwarans are ready for the reelection of President Buhari.

    “We are also using this medium to empower some of our members. Kwara State is different from other states. We have been suffering for so long. People need to be empowered, that is why we are giving out some items to some people today.

    “We resolved to show our members a specimen of what a voter’s card looks like so that they know how. In other words, we are embarking on voters’ education, so that they know how to vote on election.

    “Kwarans are ready. We don’t need any message for them and it has started. We will not stop until election days.”

    A youth leader, Abdulkarim Popoola, said the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice Prof Yemi Osinbajo is guaranteed.

    “We are here to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari for his walking over in the forthcoming presidential election; because we are very sure that in Kwara state we are going to deliver for the state for him,” Popoola said.

    “We are also assuring the whole world that President Buhari is coming back again. Four plus for is equaled to eight. That is the reason we organised this rally.”

  • ‘We will empower 500,000 youth through sports’

    The Youth Organising Secretary of the Lagos State All Progressive Congress (APC), Aregbe Idris, has said the party is ready to empower another five hundred thousand youth in the next administration.

    Idris, in a statement at the grand finale of a soccer competition sponsored by the office of the youth of the APC in Surulere, Lagos, added that sports and tourism were the most viable ways of engaging the youth and that the APC-led government was ready to leverage on these avenues to ensure every youth in Lagos was productively engaged.

    “Our programmes are designed to bring the youth together, engage them, and let them know that the party cares. We so much believe in the youth, their energy, and their power. As a party, we are ready to assist them; that is why the office of the youth has constantly been developing the community by coming up with different projects and support programmes. Sport is a major development tool that will help the youth and connect them,” Aregbe said.

    He also urged Lagosian to vote for candidates ready to move the city to the next level, adding that  the youth should play their part and participate fully in the electioneering process.

    “As youths, there is an urgent need to play our part and be sure we are not tossing the government into the hands of people who will set us back again, we need to do our part for this country to move forward,” Aregbe added.

  • Halt plot to sabotage Kogi PDP, youth group warns

    A youth group of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Peoples Democratic Party Youth Frontier, has called on the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and the leadership of the party to halt what they described as plot to sabotage the interest of the party in Kogi state.
    The group in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Austin Okai, on Tuesday it was amazed that the committee sent to screen aspirants for the Kogi east senatorial district primary election could disqualify over 15 aspirants for the office to pave way for the incumbent, Senator Attai Aidoko to emerge as sole candidate.
    Members of PDP Youth Frontier frowned at this move and condemned it in strong terms.
    ” We wish to remind Prince Secondus and members of the National Working Committee that the PDP can’t afford to lose the goodwill it currently enjoys in Kogi state and other parts of the country due to the desires of a few.
    ” We also wish to remind Prince Secondus that he had gone on live national TV on March 26, 2018, to apologise to Nigerians for some of the undemocratic ways that characterized the party when it was in power, an apology that was welcomed by Nigerians and earned the party so much goodwill.
    “We hereby demand that the party leadership arrest this ticking time-bomb and ensure that all aspirants are cleared to test their popularity at the party primary election. The PDP cannot afford a repeat of 2015 when we lost due to insistence of some National Assembly leaders to grant ticket to non-performing incumbents and imposition.
    “The PDP has no tradition of automatic ticket, and no individual or group should be allowed to scuttle the party’s chances in 2019,”, the group stated.