Tinubu’s 30-day confab excites youth council, Ndigbo APC, others

In what looks like a response to the yearning from agitated youth on the state of the nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Tuesday, announced a 30-day conference to unite young people nationwide.

The gathering, said the president, will seek to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security and social justice in the country.

President Tinubu announced the plan in  a nationwide broadcast to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day anniversary.

The initiative has received commendation from the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), the Ndigbo in the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a cross section of Nigerians.

…NYCN

Commending the initiative, President NYCN  Amb Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo described the initiative as  a significant milestone targeted at promoting youth engagement and empowerment within the nation.

The conference, according to the youth group, would serve as a pivotal platform for identifying the myriad of challenges confronting young people and also proposing viable solutions for the same.

He said the government should also not shy away from implementing the outcomes of the brainstorming session.

“The significance of this conference cannot be overstated. It offers Nigerian youth a vital opportunity to voice their grievances, propose actionable solutions, and actively participate in the governance process.

“The NYCN firmly believes that this gathering will empower young people to articulate their views on issues that directly affect their lives, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility toward the policies that govern them,” he said.

The NYCN, however, cautioned the government against using the move to achieve any political motive, saying that would not serve the desired purpose, and asked the youth ministry not to compromise the initiative.

Sukubo said: “It is vital for the conference to focus on the needs and concerns of the youth, without being influenced by external political agendas.

“Maintaining the integrity of this platform is essential to effectively addressing the challenges faced by young Nigerians.”

…Ndigbo in Lagos APC

Similarly, the Ndigbo in Lagos APC said the youth confab would give the youth the platform to express their grievances and proffer solutions to achieve a better Nigeria.

Deputy Apex Leader of the group, Jude Idimogu, commended Tinubu in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos Tuesday.

Idimogu said:  “It is good that the President is giving the youth the voice after all the protests that we have been witnessing, they are the ones marshalling them.

“So, It is better that the president is giving the youths the forum to express themselves on whatever their grievances are.

“Though things are difficult, but the youth should come up with their own ideas and let them have an interaction with the government.

“Maybe with this forum, the youth will now understand where the president is coming from and the president will also understand the grievances of the youth.”

Idimogu, however, cautioned that the conference should not be turned into a money-sharing jamboree as this could defeat its purpose. The former lawmaker said the president’s broadcast had further given Nigerians the inspiration to believe in the country and continue to trust his government.

Idimogu assured that the President was committed to a better Nigeria and doing his best to address challenges.

…Nigerians hail move

Also in separate interviews with NAN Tuesday, some residents of Bauchi  state commended the president’s move.

They said the conference would provoke meaningful dialogue and empower young people to participate actively in nation-building.
In his view, National Coordinator/Convener, Youth O’Clock Advancement Association (YOAA), Mr Seth Francis, described the gesture as ‘welcome development,’ adding that it would galvanise sound transformative policies through the youth.

“This conference shows President Tinubu’s recognition of young people’s potentials in running an inclusive governance,” he said.

A resident, Hayatu Sanda, expressed optimism about the conference’s potential to impact youth positively.

He said the confab would avail the youth opportunities to take ownership of Nigeria’s future.

“We commend President Tinubu for this visionary initiative,” said Sanda.

To Mrs Asabe Garba, the initiative would have a lasting impact on Nigeria’s future, empowering young people to drive positive change and shape the country’s destiny.

She said the future of the nation belongs to the youth, adding that “it is imperative to invest and create opportunities for their growth and development.”

“By this gesture, the President give hope to the youth because the conference will give them a sense of belonging, improve access to quality education by addressing challenges.

“It will promote equality, fairness and social justice in all aspects of society,” she said.

On his part, Adamu Ibrahim, a farmer, said the Tinubu agriculture and economic reform programmes would accelerate productivity and enhance food security.

“The Tinubu administration is laying the foundation for sustainable agriculture transformation in the country.”

…Tinubu speaks

Announcing the plan among several others, President Tinubu said: “While we are working to stabilise the economy and secure the country, we also seek to foster national unity and build social harmony and cohesion. Our economy can only thrive when there is peace.

“As we work to overcome the challenges of the day, we remain mindful of the next generation as we seek to galvanize their creative energy towards a better future. We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognizing that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects.

“Considering this, 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 added.

…RH labour employment

He also said the federal government would launch the Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP) to facilitate the creation of 2.5 million jobs.

According to him, the initiative was conceived as a comprehensive job creation intervention by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and would simultaneously ensure the welfare and safety of workers across the country.

He said: “We are implementing, amongst others, the 3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone.

“We have also enthusiastically implemented the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational dreams.

“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.”

…LG autonomy

The president also hinted on his administration’s plan to implement financial autonomy of local governments in line with the Supreme Court judgement.

“As part of our efforts to re-engineer our political economy, we are resolute in our determination to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of local governments,” he said.

The president also assured that the Economic Stabilisation Bill to reduce tax burden on businesses would soon be transmitted to the National Assembly for legislation.

The bill titled “Economic Stabilisation Bill” would also reduce the tax burden on Nigerian workers.

“We are moving ahead with our fiscal policy reforms. To stimulate our productive capacity and create more jobs and prosperity, the Federal Executive Council approved the Economic Stabilisation Bills, which will now be transmitted to the National Assembly,” he said.

The president also disclosed that the federal government would assist the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to acquire Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses for cheaper public transportation across the country.