BEVERLY HILLS, August 13, (THEWILL) – The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has advocated for a more comprehensive engagement of the Nigerian youth by government at all levels.
Gbajabiamila said relegating the Nigerian youth to the background by the governments is inimical to national development being the most critical segment of any society.
The Speaker, while delivering a keynote address in a webinar for the commemoration of this year’s International Youth Day, organised by the Office of the Speaker and the Nigerian Youth Parliament, also noted that the Nigerian youth need to show greater interest in government and governance.
Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, former Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen as well as the Minister of Sport and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, who all participated in the webinar urged the youth to show more interest in national development.
According to Gbajabiamila, one of the most effective means of participating in government by the youths is to constantly engage their representatives in the legislature at all levels.
He urged Political leaders to act now and consistently to dismantle those practices and systems that serve only to exclude young people from political participation, or that limit them to operating on the fringes as foot soldiers in the battle for spoi
Governor Uzodinma said the Nigerian youths, being the hope of the country must not miss their steps towards nation-building because doing so would spell doom for the country.
The Minister of Women Affairs noted that it is incumbent on the youths to take up the issue of gender-based violence as a national question.
Tallen, who was represented by her Special Assistant (Technical), Joan Idonije urged Nigerian youths in communities and schools to establish advocacy groups against rape and other gender-based violence.
Responding to a question on Diaspora voting, Gbajabiamila said it is a great idea to have Nigerians living in other countries vote during an election, but he cautioned that the country must get her elections back home right before thinking of Diaspora voting.
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