Youth development will drive a growing economy, says Akinbile-Yusuff

Lagos State Commissioner of Youth and Social Development, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuff has said that youth development is significant and will drive a growing economy that has the potential to create sustainable secondary employment and income opportunities that will culminate into increasing internally generated revenue (IGR) for Lagos State.

Speaking in Lagos during a press conference on the second edition of the Youth Interactive Session with the theme: Lagos Youth Development Forum: Challenges and Opportunities” which will take place on June 30, 2016 in Lagos she said:
“Development of youth in Lagos will bring tremendous untapped potential, as they will become the key to the future economic growth and success of Lagos State, which will eventually usher-in vitality and innovation to the workforce and GDP of the state.”

She said that this will make the rallying of Youth Development programs more attractive, because it will keep equipping youths with the skills and confidence that they need to engage in economic opportunities, and become active contributors and financially independent citizens of their communities.

She said that based on the gains recorded from the first edition of the Youth Interactive Session that was held in 2015 arrangements have been concluded to host the second edition.

According to her the objective of the forum is to form synergic relation with Non-Governmental Organisations, Charity Homes, philanthropists, journalists and other stakeholders to provide opportunity for government and NGOs, to work as a team in promoting youth development.

“To provide security for NGOs to partner with each other for youth development, to reach more youth in the Lagos geographical terrain; to identify activities and specific needs of different NGOs resident in Lagos State based on synergic relationship; to sustain capacitation of NGOs partnership through government official support/backing.”

She said that Lagos State government will provide official support, corporate backing and articulated identification for every partnering NGO, Charity Homes.

She added that they have continued to keep faith with the promises of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to Lagosians that youths in the State without bias for ethnic, religious or gender status would actualize their potentials for prosperity through active support of the state.

“We started with the first edition of this programme, the Ist interactive youth forum and forged synergy with non governmental organization and all stakeholders engaged in youth and social development programme.
“We started by assisting especially the vulnerable ones, through the provision of vocational and skills acquisition, conselling and mentorship programmes in collaboration with private organizations.”

She added that some of their major activities included the training of over 1000 youths in heavy equipment operations in collaboration with Rated Cranes Technologies Nig Ltd which covered Mobile crane operation, HIAB operation, Backhoe operation, and Wheel loading operation, Excavator operation, among others.

“Also next month the ministry will commence a month long employability training for over 1000 youths with job link ltd as part of its activities in kick starting the third quarter of 2016.

All participants in the above trainings will be given certificates of competence or participation as evidence of skills acquisition,” she said.