- President Bola Tinubu announced a 30-day national youth conference to address youth-related problems
- He said the conference will be attended by selected delegates nationwide who will collaboratively find solutions to the problems of Nigerian youths.
- Nigerians reacted, a few commend him for the idea, others believe youths need jobs and not conferences
President Bola Tinubu has announced a 30-day national youth conference to address unemployment, security, education, social justice and other challenges Nigerian youths are battling with.
Tinubu made this announcement at the State House during his speech to celebrate Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary.
According to him, the 30-day confab will draw delegates nationwide to develop solutions to the issues facing Nigerian youths.
According to ThisDayLive, he said: “I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population.
“It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.
“The 30-day Confab will unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will be designed in close consultation with our young people through their representatives.
“Through this confab, it will be our job as leaders to ensure that their aspirations are at the heart of the conference’s deliberations. The government will thoroughly consider and implement the recommendations and outcomes from this forum as we remain resolute in our mission to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and united Nigeria.”
The president noted that his administration is implementing other programmes for youths like the “3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone,” and the “Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational dreams.”
He added, “In addition, later this month, we shall launch The Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP). It is conceived as a comprehensive suite of interventions at job creation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that is aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly, on an annual incremental basis whilst simultaneously ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country.”
Nigerians react to the 30-day Confab announcement
Many Nigerians who reacted to the president’s announcement claimed that the national youth conference would only be an avenue for the elite youths to amass more wealth for themselves. Some believe only youths affiliated with the All Progessives Congress (APC) will be selected as delegates to attend the conference. While a few netzens commended the president for this idea, others told the president to provide jobs and not organise conferences.
Here are some of the comments:
@DavidPine_ posted: “What is the benefit of a National youth conference to Nigerians, it would be gathering where Seyi would bring his thugs and chair the ceremony, nothing would be achieved and it would be just a total waste of money and time. What happened to the conference that took place under Jonathan? Why has it not been implemented? This is utter nonsense.”
@Shile_matrix posted: “Which money we wan take transport go the conference? What Nigerian youth need now is job creation, employ them baba, give them a pond not a fish 🥺”
@ObedRaven posted: “If you believe anything you hear from this man you're also one of the problems we're facing.”
@SanyaoluS posted: “We need job not conferences.”
@your_esq posted: “Delegates to be constituted how exactly?”
@iszzyiniho1 posted: “This man is doing nothing to eradicate poverty he is making everything wor$e.”
@chuks_modesty posted: “Recruit 50 million youths and feed them with Agbado, cassava, Ewa and garri is about to kick off 😂”
@Mcnicholas60 posted: “This is welcomed for the youths as they dominate 🇳🇬 population and future of our tomorrow.”
@blessingofgo posted: “National youth conference of APC.”
@ShagariTob21028 posted: “Another empty recorded broadcast from those who are bereft of ideas & developmental policies. For how long would these people keep digressing from the real issues being faced by Nigerians? In the midst of extreme poverty someone is talking about youth conference to discuss what?”
Cabinet Reshuffle: Tinubu demands performance reports as lobbying allegedly intensifies
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu called for fresh scorecards from his 46 ministers, prompting an increase in lobbying efforts among political figures and cabinet members seeking to secure their positions.
The Presidency confirmed on Wednesday, September 25, that the planned cabinet shake-up is imminent, aligning with reports from earlier this month.