Sir: Friday, August 12, 2022 is a very important date in the global calendar.  It is a day that the global community sets aside to celebrate this year’s International Youth Day. The important purpose of this yearly celebration going by information from the United Nations (UN) is to among other things raise voices against any injustice or discrimination happening in the world with the youth.

Essentially, millions of youth in the world are struggling with issues related to physical or mental health, education and employment and thus all these issues need to be addressed. When the government or society does not focus on proper development of the youth, they tend to become rebellious and many times they can opt for the choices which are neither good for their development nor for their country.

However, in Nigeria, youths are being frustrated by the nation’s socioeconomic challenges fueled by unfulfilled government promises and bad leadership marked by absence of transparency and accountability. And as a consequence, this ‘stifles development, siphons all scarce resources that could improve infrastructure, bolster education systems and strengthen public health and stack the deck against the poor  masses.

To explain this position, a recent report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), reveals that in second-quarter Q2:2020 unemployment rate among young people (15-34 years old) was 34.9 per cent, up from 29.7 per cent, while the rate of underemployment for the same age group rose to 28.2 per cent from 25.7 per cent in Q3, 2018. These rates were the highest when compared to other age groupings.  Nigeria’s youth population eligible to work is about 40 million out of which only 14.7 million are fully employed and another 11.2 million are unemployed.

Youth unemployment is potentially dangerous as it sends a signal to all segments of the Nigerian Society. Here in Nigeria, the rate of youth unemployment is high, even at the period of economic normalcy i.e. the oil boom of the 1970s (6.2 per cent); 1980s (9.8 per cent) and the 1990s (11.5 per cent). Youth unemployment therefore is not a recent phenomenon. But if what happened in the 1980s/90s were a challenge of sorts, what is happening presently, going by the latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), is a challenge.

It is important that Nigerian youths continue to speak up against violation of human rights, suppression of free speech and freedom of the press. They must speak up with facts against any wrongdoing or oppression by the government or fellow citizens capable of endangering sustainable democracy and the effective delivery of good governance.

Any government with goodwill and sincerity must develop creative and channels to promoting sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and job creation. Youths must know that as citizens, they are constitutionally eligible to vote and be voted for.
Utomi Jerome-Mario is the programme coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation.