Stakeholders have been called upon to ensure that they help to encourage and promote platforms that will constantly bring about Youth Value Reorientation, Self Discovery and Strategic leadership direction by ensuring that the Youths are well mobilized at all time to attain Popular Participation in view of their potentials as youths and as active partners considering their energies for effective contribution in the global Development Agenda.
This was made known by the National Coordinator Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) CSP Ebere Amaraizu during the engagement of stakeholders at the indoor Sports Hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu on the occasion of the Commiserates of the United Nation international Day of the Youth held on 12/8/2021 with the Theme as Transforming Food Systems, Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.
According to Amaraizu, there seems not to be effective understanding on how who is to be addressed as a youth which has given room for domination of space for the youth by the aged and pointing out that most youth leaders may not be within the age bracket of the stipulation of National Youth Policy and that of the African Youth Chatter viz: 18- 29 National Youth policy and 15 to 35 years of African Youth chatter.
Most opportunities are often time not given to youths especially when they seek for an opportunity, this is because they are often visited with the issue of not having three or five years experience and this encourages the dominant of the opportunity space by Non Youths and leaving them stranded with their energies begging already awaiting engagement.
He advocated for an effective and workable framework that will encourage popular participation of youths, understanding of their needs, privileges and challenges and mobilizing them for National Development, peace and progress.
However, we are aware that the National Youth Policy (2009) is clear on: To promote the enjoyment of fundamental Human Rights and protect the health, Social, economic and political well being of all young men and women in order to enhance their participation in the overall development process and improve their quality of life. It is a youth participation project versus a project identifying problems and needs.
This has also made a case for Youth Enterprise/Development, Vocational Skills, Training, Youth Voice, Employment and Education. The Youths constitute the greater Number of our population, their energies are important to be channeled positively for instance looking at the core value of sports, they can be well mobilized and their energies channeled towards that direction as one of the effective and powerful tools to attain youth security for National growth, Peace, economic development.
He advised the Youths to always remain focus, law abiding and shunning cultism, Substance and Drug Abuse, Violent Behaviour and other vices which are capable of destroying their future dreams and as future champions.
He charged them to pay attention to skillful and self discovery programmes which is capable of turning them into champions and employers of labour. He ended with an advice to the youth that the future belong to those who know the beauty of it.
In his Speech, the Executive Director LEAD NETWORK Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa pointed out the need for Youth to see themselves as potential leaders and to pay much attention to Entrepreneurship than the white collar jobs in order to become employers of labour with abundant opportunities.
He advised the Youths on the areas of Taking Responsibility, Emotional Intelligence, Time Management and remaining focus amongst other things.
In his address of Welcome, the Enugu state commissioner for Youth and Sports Hon Tony Manfred Nzekwe welcomed participants and explained that the Administration Under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has remained committed towards the engagement of Youths in Enugu state and also driving of youth innovations and participation in governance and development of Enugu state.
The Administration has remained the number one most youth incisive and friendly state in the country while pointing out that Enugu state Government has meaningfully engaged her teeming youth through participation in several batches of youth Entrepreneurship and empowerment programmes of the ministry of youth and sports as well as various sporting activities.
According to him, the feat attained has helped in reduction in Youth unemployment. The Enugu state Government in partnership with Potters wheel Foundation have given birth to free Vocational and Entrepreneurial training of over 2,500 Youths and Women in Enugu state within the period under review.
He then urged all Youths of Enugu State to Key into the noble Youth friendly Programmes of the state Government towards making them better for a and also for a better society.
Adding his voice the house committee chairman on youth, sports and security and also member representing Aninri constituency in the state house of Assembly Hon Engr. Okwu Chinedu Otaka, welcomed participants to the epoch making event and charged them not to loose focus by remaining law abiding and committed to the youth vision of the Enugu state Government and the Governor.
He assured that his office and the state House of Assembly will continue to collaborate to enhance the achievement of various youth oriented program. The highlight of the event was the boxing bouts of various categories to express the positive channelling of energies to meaningful ventures and graduation of the batch D free vocational and Entreprenuerial training which also included 30 police officers wives and widows and youths.