Ambode pledges support for voluntary youth associations

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday said the state government would continue to support all voluntary youth and non-governmental organisations whose programmes tend toward youth development and helping humanity.

Ambode made the remark during his investiture as the patron of the Lagos State Scout Council in Alausa, Ikeja.

Our correspondent reports that the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, was also invested as the Matron of the Girls’ Guide.

Ambode said that voluntary organisations like the Scout Association comprising young people, provided a veritable platform to promote unity and mental co-existence.

According to him, these are critical to the survival, growth and development of the country.

“It is unfortunate that in recent past, uniformed voluntary organisations have not been as vibrant as they used to be,” Ambode said.

The governor said that there was an urgent need to do a self-appraisal of the current state of the organisations.

According to him, there is need to develop strategies that will improve their relevance within the context of modern realities.

Ambode advised youths to consolidate on the efforts of the state government and well-meaning organisations.

He said that these organisations took part in creating safe spaces that promote discipline, moral and healthy competition among youths and better their lives.

“If a youth is educated, trained and empowered, he or she is built, and if you build the youth, you build a nation,” the governor said.

He commended the vision statement of the association.

According to him, it says by 2023, scouting will be the world’s leading educational youth movement.

“It will enable 100 million young people to be active citizens creating positive change in their communities and in the world.

“You must, however, be reminded that vision statement alone will not yield the desired result.

“It requires sustained commitment and dedication to the actualisation of specific and time bound plans and actions,” he said.

Ambode thanked the association for the honour bestowed on him.

He said that the association was one of the leading voluntary organisations established to inculcate the virtues of discipline, leadership and community service in youths.

Earlier, the state Commissioner of Scout Council, Chief Johnson Tawose, said that the organisation had over 760,000 members in the country.

Outlining the roles of the organisation, particularly in youths development and rescue operation, Tawose pledged that the association would not be found wanting.

Ambode also had his first dance as a scout member, took his scout promise and was given the constitution of the World Organisation of Scout Movement.