Wike to approach Tinubu over calls for Youth Secretariat

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has promised to approach President Bola Tinubu over calls for the creation of a Youth Secretariat in the FCT Administration (FCTA).

Wike made the promise at a town hall meeting in Abuja on Saturday, organised by the FCTA to dissuade FCT residents from participating in the Aug. 1 planned nationwide protest over hunger and hardship.

The promise was a response to a call by youth representatives at the meeting on the need for a Youth Secretariat in the FCTA to address issues relating to youths’ development and empowerment.

“I do know that if I send a memo to him to create a Youth Secretariat, Mr President will create it.

“As youths I suggest you write and send the memo to us, and I will forward it to Mr President.

“By the time Mr President approves the Youth Secretariat, we will sit and work out how the youths’ empowerment should go and what sort of empowerment,” he said.

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The minister explained that the meeting was necessary for stakeholders in the FCT to agree on the need for peace and order, which could not be guaranteed if residents joined the protest.

He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had ensured youths inclusion in FCT Administration as evident with the appointments of youths who were serving in different capacities in the FCTA.

He pointed out that the Coordinator of the Satellite Development Department, Mandate Secretaries of Area Councils and Legal Services among others were youths.

“Am not saying that this is enough but know that we cannot abandon the youths,” he added.

Wike stressed the need for the youths to ensure lasting peace in FCT, adding that “protest does not solve any problem, but creates more problems.

“There is nothing wrong with a protest, but it must be done within the ambit of the law.”

On women inclusion, the minister said that a similar initiative had led to the establishment of the Women Affairs Secretariat in the FCTA with a woman as the Mandate Secretary.

He added that another woman is heading the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, while four out of the 10 recently appointed Permanent Secretaries in the FCTA were women.

The minister also commended religious and traditional leaders for supporting the FCTA in maintaining peace, which he described as critical for sustainable development.

He also thanked the Chairmen of the six area councils in the FCT for the partnership to keep FCT and its rural communities safe.

In a related development, the Abuja Aborigines Network, has condemned the planned protest and expressed readiness to resist it.

Its President, Dr Donald Amagbo, said at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, that the decision to shun the protest was not to promote anarchy in the country.

“We hereby condemn in totality and we are ready to resist the planned protests in some cities across Nigeria, including the FCT.

“Our decision was based on a confirmed investigation that was aimed at causing anarchy and making Nigeria look ungovernable and a failed state.

“Hence, we, the Abuja Aborigines Network, hereby, pledge to support the security agencies to fish out the undesirable elements living in Abuja,” Amgbo said.

The president added that the group “does not want unrest but peace.”

He further stressed that the network also feels the pains of President Tinubu’s reforms, “but we can see the progress being recorded in FCT by Nyesom Wike.”