Nigerian youths deserve a ministry that will tackle their affairs in the country, Forum for Youths Advancement in Nigeria has said.
"With the recent development across the world where the youth are taking leadership roles, Nigerian youths deserve a ministry that will be solely responsible for their affairs," a statement by the forum’s national president Segun Folorunsho and secretary general Garba Dan’Asabe, said Wednesday.
They said as Nigeria moved towards passing the "Not too young to lead" law, "there is absolutely the need to make the affairs of the youth a priority and brought into the front burner."
The forum said "lumping the affairs of the youth in the Ministry of Sports is antithetical to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration policy on youth. Youths affairs in is relegated to the background in the sports ministry."
"We are urging President Buhari to create a Minister of State that will be solely responsible for youth affairs in the country. The youth is an important component of governance, therefore it must be taken seriously and given deserved attention," the forum said.
They said "constant engagement of the youth to prevent them from involving into violent activities can only be achieved when they have a cabinet minister whose only preoccupation is the youth."
The forum said the Nigerian National Youths Policy 2009 can only be "fully implemented if a minister is assigned to pilot the affairs of the youth in the country."
