Kogi Deputy Speaker, advocates For Youth Participation In Leadership, Decision Taking

The Deputy Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon Ahmed Mohammed has advocated for a narrative change in Nigeria where Youths should be given opportunity to participate in leadership and decision taking of their immediate society.

Hon Ahmed Mohammed also urged youths across the country to see themselves as future leaders who should strive to shun thuggery, violence, cultism and other forms of social vices and embrace meaningful ventures that could make them self-sustaining.

The Deputy Speaker gave the admonition over the weekend, while speaking at a Youth Forum organised by the Youth Development and Empowerment Initiative to further mark this year’s International Youth Day Celebration in the North Central Zone of Nigeria held in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital. adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The Programme with the Theme: “Youth Engagement Through Building and Strengthening of Democratic Institution” was put in place in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and Youth Employment and Social Support Operation(YESSO).

The Deputy Speaker hinted that the focus of the present administration in Kogi state has been on how to make youths productive by providing them with opportunities that would make them self-reliant.

“We have put in place skills acquisition programmes for the Youths. We have involved the youths in governance of the state through appointments into various positions. Our focus has been on how to see that the youths stands tall in all ramifications

” Security challenges in Kogi have been at a low level as a result of government attention on youth empowerment

“A lot of empowerment programmes have been carried out by the present administration to ensure that youths were effectively engaged to better their life” Hon Ahmed Mohammed disclosed.

The Senior Special Assistant on Security in charge of Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area, Onoja Ignatius who also spoke at the event, challenged Nigerian Youths to embark on meaningful ventures that could enable them become responsible citizens to qualify in leadership roles.

“Youths should be placed on the top to enable them use their God given talents to champion the progress of their father land. There is need for a narrative change not only to involve the elderly in leadership but extend such opportunity to the youths as well” the SSA advised.

He therefore, appealed to youths across the country not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to carry out dirty jobs such as killings and perpetrating evils in the society.

The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi in her contribution through online, called on government at all levels to encourage girl child education and participation in governance like their male counterparts.

“Government should endeavor at all times to embark on intensive sensitization of citizens to embrace extending equal opportunities to both male and female folks in every activity” Ene Obi appeals.

She however, urged Nigerian youths to always imbibe hard work and honesty in every aspect of their life describing positive attitude as the only way out to achieve greatness and worthy living.