A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governorship candidate in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has called for better tackling of issues concerning youths in the new year.
Observing that 83 per cent of Nigeria’s population is under age 50, Nwosu canvassed diligent and transparent implementation of policies to improve the lot of youths.
He also demanded that the Ministry of Youth Development be overhauled for more impact, adding: “No one will best appreciate the plight of the youth than the youths themselves.”
Noting that corruption and greed had adversely affected execution of youth programmes and policies in the country, Nwosu urged “the integration of the youths at all levels of policy formulation and implementation, transparent management of grants and loans targeted at bailing out SMEs.”
He added: Development of an up-to-date, relevant, implementable and all-encompassing National Youth Policy, ensuring a fair playing ground at all levels of government and private sector-driven competitions, enhanced investments in entrepreneurship education for our youths and improved access to funding for creative and technological ideas.
“Improved access to professional education and training for our youths, discouragement of harassment of all sorts, especially against our youths by public officials and merit in government and public sector recruitment processes as ways of ending youth unemployment and restiveness.”
