Tinubu committed to youth empowerment, says Shettima

The Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, has restated the commitment of the Bola Tinubu administration to supporting Nigerian youths to reach their potential and contribute to the growth and development of the country.

Shettima’s remark was contained in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President.

He said Shettima made the remark when he received the National Executive Council of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), led by its President, Mr Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa.

Commending the council for its support of the programmes and activities of the Tinubu administration, Shettima said, “We cannot thank you enough for keeping the hope alive for the Nigerian youth.

“We identify with you; we empathise with you because the future of this nation belongs to you. We are one of the youngest nations on the planet and the youth constitute nearly 75 per cent of our population.

“Once we engage the youth, once we give them hope for a better tomorrow, all the madness pervading this land will dissipate.

“Sixty years for an organisation to remain vibrant and still stand on its feet deserves commendation. I want to thank you for believing in the Nigeria Project.

“A lot of members of your generation have left the country but you resolved to stay on, and together we are going to salvage the ship of this state,” he added.

On plans of the Tinubu administration for young Nigerians, the Vice President noted that President Tinubu created a ministry for the youth under the current dispensation.

He added that the President also appointed two young people to head the ministry, while the Vice President had complemented that by appointing a lot of young persons into key positions in his office.

Assuring the NYCN delegation that the administration is aligned with their aspirations, Shettima said, “We hold you in the highest esteem.

“We have a series of opportunities lined up for you such as the iDICE project that will create digital jobs, including the ones in the creative industry.

“So, let’s hope for the best, let’s believe in Nigeria because this is our country.”

Earlier, Sukubo had expressed the council’s readiness to collaborate with the federal government in addressing illegal oil bunkering.

“We have decided to see how we can help this country in areas of oil theft that have been ravaging this nation,” Sukubo stated.

He added that, “the NYCN has decided that it’s a collective effort, and we are ready to partner with the government to address this illegality.”

Sukubo announced that the NYCN, which was established on Aug. 28, 1964, in Lagos, was gearing up to commemorate its 60th anniversary in November.

On behalf of the council, he extended an invitation to the Vice President to officially unveil the anniversary events 8expected to draw participants from across the country.

“This year, we are celebrating our 60th anniversary, and we want you to officially unveil the anniversary events.

“The event will have nothing less than 100,000 participants across the country, and that is the day we want to give insight into the activities of this government,” Sukubo said.

Acknowledging the administration’s efforts in appointing a significant number of young people to government positions, the NYCN delegation also appealed to the federal government to construct a Youth House.

Also speaking, Rikki Nwajiofor, the National Deputy Secretary General of the NYCN, highlighted the council’s role as the apex youth body representing all youth organisations in Nigeria as stipulated in the National Youth Policy.

“NYCN is made up of 104 affiliate member youth organisations, a 27-member national executive council, 36 state chapters and an FCT chapter, as well as 774 coordinators in all local government and area councils in Nigeria.

“That is why the NYCN is the vehicle through which the government passes its policies to the grassroots,” Nwajiofor explained.