Press statement below...
Gentle men of the press
We wish to commend the Media in there reportage and proactive dedication by ensuring the entrenchment of democratic values.
This is a press statement on the just concluded 1st Northern youth Summit held on Tuesday, 12 May, 2015 at the Arewa House under the Chairmanship of Alh. Ibrahim Commassie, the Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
Challenges
Arguably, the Northern Nigerian youths are in a dilemma: Unemployment has hit threatening heights as only one out of ten young people can boast of gainful employment. Education has been in a sorry state attributable to a good number of factors. The rising spate of insurgency got its boost from the increasing social risk that the northern young has faced unabated. A researcher mentioned in his thesis: ’’ it is evidenced that social-inclusion for young northerners has seen no improvement for decades, it can only be fair to say the regions youths’ have their social status in comatose’’. In particular there is a high degree of variation in the challenges northern youths have been exposed to and these has stretched over two decades.
ACF’s Intervention
To identify major youth issues be-devilling young people in Northern Nigeria with a view to outlining recommendations and solutions; To conceptualise the framework for Northern youth participation in National and international development agenda and, initiate a consolidated and harmonised movement that will unite all youth-led organisations in Northern Nigeria, the Stakeholders of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) requested a select youth leaders to organize the First Northern Nigerian Youth Summit.
Key Recommendations
- Education should be prioritize so as to enhance human capital development index;
- Fast-track job creation by leveraging on opportunities in the agro-allied sector to reduce the surging rate of unemployment and the widening poverty gap;
- Educational curriculum should be reviewed and improved upon to accommodate moral instructions with social value in view;
- Promote ethics of religious tolerance to create an atmosphere of peaceful and inter-tribal cohesion;
- That the youth should support the government to draft a framework for the re-integration, rehabilitation and re-construction of the insurgents’ ravaged North-east;
- The youth should be encouraged to adequately participate in politics which in turn will foster inclusion and succession planning;
- Girl-child education should be given priority;
- Enhanced environmental management activity to ensure a standard public health should be the imperative mandate of individual states in Northern Nigeria
- That a steering committee be put in place to synergize with the local organizing committee (LOC) to ensure a working plan for youth development in Northern Nigeria .
In conclusion all the above recommendation were thoroughly deliberated upon in thematic clusters and resolutions were made on issues raised, these was carried out by delegate representatives of various northern youth groups present. It is thus imperative to note that decisions were reached by superior arguments emanating from well debated topics which gave the conference the desired credibility.
The conference had in attendance over 1000 young leaders of various youth interest groups across the region and was convened by the Chairman and the entire leadership board of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
God Bless Northern Nigeria ,.
God Bless Northern Nigeria Youths
God Bless Federal Republic of Nigeria
Comrade Isaac Balami Comrade Okpanachi Jacob
Chairman, Local Organising Committee Secretary, Local Organising Committee
Northern Nigerian Youth Summit Northern Nigerian Youth Summit
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