Kogi Youths Demand Immediate Take Off Of Youth Dev. Commission.
Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
Coalition of Youths and Civil Society Organisations have expressed disappointment over non operationalization since the signing into law of the Kogi state Youths Development Commission in April 2019.
A communique signed by various youth based organisations, professional unions and students after one day advocacy round table meeting held at the state SDG hall, Lokoja, over the weekend, the youth who eulogized the state Assembly for passing the all important bill, Youths Development commission, however expressed dismay in the lukewarm attitude of the executive arm of government in ensuring the take off and operations of the Commission.
It observed that Kogi state which was proactive enough to emerge the first state in the country to have signed the Youth Development Commission into law, however, is unnecessarily dragging its feet to make Commission operational.
The communique revealed that donor partners and well wishers have been waiting for the operationalization of the commission so as to address the issues which it was planned for, pointing out that youth restiveness, unemployment, idleness, and under-utilization of human resources are threatening the peace and progress of the state.
It observed further that shrinking social and economic space are on the high side as a result of non-operation and utilisation of the Kogi State Youth Development Commission.
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According to the Kogi youths, other states that borrowed a leaf from their state have made significant progress in their process towards operationalization of the youth development commission, assuring
that if the commission becomes operational, would go a long way towards enhancing the GDP base of the state.
“The operationalization of the Kogi Youths Development Commission would complement the efforts of the government in youths empowerment initiative, which would cut down the burden on the government in the form of recruitment of new staff as it is possible for government to second staff from existing MDAs to the commission,” the Youths observed.
It was therefore resolved that Kogi state government should as a matter of urgency take deliberate steps towards setting up youths commission office to enable it have platforms for interface with development partners who are actively waiting to partner and support the Government’s Youths Development Initiative.
That Kogi state should sustain its leading role in youth development in the country through the operationalization of the youth commission, and take decisive steps towards enhancing the GDP base of the state through the operations of the youth development commission.
Though Kogi state is currently security conscious, the youth advised that it should sustain efforts at fighting insecurity by creating platforms for them to be meaningfully and economically engaged through the operationalization of the Kogi State Youths Development Commission.
Participants at the round table meeting include CSOs, NYCN, National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), NURTW, NUJ, CAN, JNI and Market Women.
