FG to implement action plan on youth, peace in 6 states

The Federal Government has selected Adamawa, Abuja, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo and Plateau, as pilot states for the implementation of Nigerian National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security (NNAP-YPS).

Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, said this at at a pre-dissemination and sensitisation workshop for NNAP-YPS implementation for Delta in Asaba on Thursday.

”The NNAP-YPS, which is in its pilot phase of its implementation, is expected to be implemented in Adamawa, Abuja, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo and Plateau states,” he stated.

He said that the implementation of the NNAP-YPS in the pilot states was to measure its impact and collect data that would guide its full implementation in other states.

Dare, represented by Mr Oyekan Adedoyin, an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, said that the ministry in collaboration with the Nigeria Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security had developed the action plan for the implementation of the NNAP-YPS.

He said that the action plan was anchored on the five pillars of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.

”In a bid to localise UNSCR 2250 in Nigeria, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Development and Education in Africa (CSDEA) and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the UNSCR 2250 in Abuja in October 2016.

”The essence of the launching is to bring to attention the issue of Youth, Peace and Security in Nigeria.

”Another outcome of the launch of the UNSCR 2250 in Nigeria and subsequent 2017 National Consultative Conference on Youth, Peace and Security was the call by stakeholders to develop a NNAP-YPS.

”The process to develop a NNAP-YPS was robust including nine in-person consultations with young people and other stakeholders,” he said.

The minister also said that the outcomes were reviewed and subjected to pre-test and validation before use.

According to him, the NNAP-YPS was subjected to an affirmation meeting on Aug. 27, 2021 before its official launch on Nov. 1, 2021 by Ministers for Youth and Sports Development and Women Affairs.

”We are here today to pre-disseminate and sensitize you on the document.

”We are hopeful that the implementation of the NNAP-YPS will open positive and sustainable opportunities for young people, including the space to express their talents and contribute to lasting peace and development of our great nation, Nigeria,” he said.

The minister called on Delta government, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, youths groups and others to support the federal government in the implementation of the NNAP-YPS.

On his part, the Co-Chair, Nigerian Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, Mr Theophilus Ekpon, said that strategies have been mapped out for implementation of the action plan in the state.

Ekpon said that the NNAP-YPS would serve as a guide for the federal, state and local governments, the legislature, judiciary, CSOs, and relevant stakeholders engaged in peace, security, governance to define their roles in policy and enforcement.

According to him, the NNAP-YPS is made up of five pillars of the UNSCR 2250 – participation, protection, prevention, partnership, disengagement and reintegration.

Ekpon said that the implementation of the Action Plan would ensure that the government and stakeholders respond to the immediate and long-term needs of youths in all the five pillars.

He said that some of the programmes embedded in the action plan included psychosocial support for drug addicts and rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors of gender-based violence.

He also said that funds would be made available to enable youths implement their projects and programmes in order to keep them engaged.

“The youths will tell us what they want to do, and we will provide the needed technical and financial support, especially those at community level.

“This will prevent them from being recruited into bandit and terrorist groups.

“We will also engage the private sector to ensure that they do no harm to the youth and bring out resources for the development and empowerment of young people,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr Dioru Sheho, the State Director, Youth Mobilisation, welcomed the participants and urged them to ensure they go back to their various communities with the knowledge gained from sensitisation programme.

Also, Ms Maryam Dani, Co.Chair Nigerian Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security, said that international organisations such as the United Nations were solidly behind the implementation of the Action Plan.

”This project is a national project. We will be glad if you can own this process,” she added.