HURIWA faults Tinubu over call for National Youth Confab

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recently announced 30-day National Youth Conference, labeling it a wasteful exercise designed to deflect attention from the government’s failures.

In his Independence Day broadcast, President Tinubu described the upcoming National Youth Conference as a platform to address the diverse challenges facing Nigeria’s youth, who make up more than 60 per cent of the population.

The president promised that the conference would focus on key issues like education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. He emphasized that young people would be involved in shaping the agenda through dialogue with policymakers.

However, HURIWA dismissed these promises as hollow. The group argued that similar initiatives in the past, including various national conferences, had failed to produce tangible results or lasting change.

“History has shown that such conferences are nothing but wasted efforts, absorbing vast amounts of public funds without delivering real solutions. This youth conference will be no different,” the group emphasised.

HURIWA in a statement by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko condemned the conference as a superficial attempt to engage with the youth while ignoring the pressing issues confronting Nigeria’s young population.

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The group argued that the proposed conference, announced during President Tinubu’s Independence Day address, is a futile gambit aimed at projecting an image of youth inclusion when in reality, the government has failed to tackle the critical issues hindering the progress of Nigerian youths.

The association referred to the conference as “forum shopping,” intended to mask the government’s shortcomings.

According to the group, this so-called National Youth Conference is nothing more than a cash-guzzling charade, destined to achieve little to no meaningful outcomes.

“Rather than organising another talk shop, the government should focus on addressing the urgent challenges that directly impact the lives of Nigerian youths, such as poor infrastructure, economic stagnation, and high unemployment,” it said.

The group noted the deteriorating state of infrastructure across the country, stressing that the lack of development stifles creativity, innovation, and economic advancement for young people.

HURIWA also pointed out that these conditions have led to a surge in irregular migration, as many young Nigerians seek opportunities abroad.

The group criticised the government over the state of the economy, noting that young Nigerians are disproportionately affected by the economic downturn.

The association pointed to the depreciation of the Naira as one of the major issues exacerbating unemployment and poverty