EndSARS: Engage youths in policy making to avert future uproar- NGO tasks Government

In a bid to avert youths restiveness, and future unrest in the country due to bad governance, the Federal and State Government, have been called upon to engage Nigerian youths in policy making as they are ready to take over the mantle of leadership from those who had failed them over many decades.

The Executive Director Participation Initiative for Behaviourial Change in Development (PIBCID), Halima Sadiq made the call on Wednesday during a one day policy dialogue on Youth development/Validation of United Nation Security Council Resolution (UNSCR), 2250 in Lokoja.

Sadiq, observed that involving Youth in government policy making, especially as it has to do with Peace and Security, is key towards putting end to violence extremism in the country.

She said government can only deradicalise the youth after reintegrating them into it policy, as such, they don’t have reasons to go back to the act of violent extremism.

"Until the youth are involved, government creating platforms for the youths to thrive, restiveness and all other social vices may be difficult to curtail.”

“Talking about youth peace and security in this context we are not talking about youth as perpetrators in violent extremism, we are talking about youth participation and resolution in government policies.

“If you want to talk about youth development, you have to involve the youth. When you deradicalise the youth, you need to reintegrate them, so they don’t go back to violence extremism.”

Also speaking , the Kogi Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Hon. Nasiru Ohiani,said giving listening ears to the loud voices of Youths Inclusiveness in socioeconomic development of the country this time must not be taken for granted, especially at a time when youth constitute about 80 % of the nation’s population.

He described the recent agitations by youths in the country as one that must be given serious attention, stressing that, the policy Dialogue program could not have come at a better time than now.

He pointed out that the involvement of Youths in the several upheaval that was experienced in the country recently speaks volumes, adding that this are reason why issues of Domesticating the UN Policies for youths of the State becomes important.

Ohiani, described the Program aimed at developing Youths Policy in the country as one that should not be taking for granted, adding that the theme of the policy Dialogue is in line with the SDG Goals.

In an overview on the Policy Dialogue On Youth Development Validation, Friday Ogezi, Senior Program Officer, ACTIONAID, said the policy Dialogue On Youth Development Validation is aimed at reducing the involvement of youths in agitations and violent extremism.

The Dialogue On Youth Development Validation he added would look at the need to have the policy domesticated in the state with its peculiarities, stressing that, it aims at meeting with the SDG Goals.

Our Kogi State Correspondent reports that the program was organized in collaboration with an international humanitarian organisation, Actionaid Nigeria, (AAN) and the office of the Sustainable Development Goals in Kogi State.

×