FEC approves November 1 as National Youth Day

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, announced the adoption of November 1 of every year as National Youth Day. This followed the approval of the report of the Cabinet Committee on the institutionalization of a National Youth Day on November 1 of every year through a memorandum by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Cabinet Committee was set up to consider a memorandum by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on the National Youth Day.

With the designation, November 1 will now be marked as a day to raise awareness on issues concerning youth in Nigeria and for organising public information activities on youth-related matters.

According to a statement by the Youth and Sports Ministry, “every commemoration would have a theme around which activities will revolve across the states and the Federal Capital Territory, with each one of them bidding to host the event although Abuja will host the maiden edition.”

The statement said the Council directed the Youth and Sports Development minister to present the memorandum to the National Economic Council and the Council of State for adoption and the buy-in of state governments.

Dare said: “The approval by Mr. President in Council for the commemoration of the National Youth Day on November 1 every year is further testimony to how this administration sees the youth as a resource to be harnessed and invested in.

“This development, coming on the heels of a similar approval for the establishment of the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund, has further energized our resolve to prioritize issues relating to the youth.”

This is a separate commemoration from the International Youth Day observed every August 12. International Youth Day is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. The first International Youth Day was observed on 12 August 2000 after the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 54/120 endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth on 17 December 1999.