Abuja – President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturda said for the country to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), youths must be involved in creation of programmes and services that served their interest.
Buhari, represented by the Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Solomon Dalung, stated this during the 18th anniversary of ceremonial parade of Peace Corp of Nigeria (PCN) in Abuja, said that services and programmes for youths were underway.
“The change agenda of the present administration has situated the Nigeria youth as its focal points by making empowerment of young people one of its priorities.
“It is the reason why the government has voted N500 billion for social intervention in the 2016 budget,’’ he said, adding that the money would extend to youths, women, displaced persons and for related problems.
He called for synergy among ministries, department and agencies involved in youth development to accelerate the monitoring and assessment of achievement levels in youth programmes.
“Our effectiveness as development actors to open a small window for the youths to see the sky depends on our capacity to understand the complexity of youths in the broader context of their society.
“We see the people as source of problem, yet their multiple roles in the society and their potential to act as agent of change towards peace and development are vitally important.
“PCN has just proven this fact in its 18 years of existence; its success as a volunteer programme is one story we must help change the narrative about the Nigerian Youth,’’ Buhari said.
He appealed to Nigerians to support the corps and that other security agencies should see the organisation as partner to improve the security challenges in the country, especially in the rural areas.
Earlier, PCN Commandant, Mr Dickson Akoh, said that if the youths were given adequate opportunities, they would excel in their endeavours.
“Government should do more to help in addressing the unemployment challenges among the youths; they should support youth organisations so that it can be a platform of preparing youths for leadership challenges.
“The PCN can be a springboard for the armed forces and other security agencies to engage them in the future,’’ he said.
Akoh also said that the organisation could serve as a signal to other security conventional agencies, noting that security was important for any meaningful development.
