Develop, Adopt State Youth Policy Now -Youth Development Cluster Tells Akwa Ibom Government
By Ekemini Simon
The Youth Development Cluster (YDC), in Akwa Ibom State has called on the government of Akwa Ibom State to support the development and adoption of a state youth policy for the State.
The YDC said State youth policy would give structure, strategy, well-crafted action plans, coordination, and sustainability to youth development in Akwa Ibom State.
The cluster noted that as the State approaches the end of the current administration and plan towards the start of a new administration in May 2023, there is urgent need to prioritize the development and implementation of a blueprint and master-plan that will gainfully empower youths in Akwa Ibom State.
Youth Development Cluster (YDC), in Akwa Ibom State consisting of Youth for Change Initiative (YOFCI), Greater Tomorrow Initiative (GTI), and Youth Alive Foundation (YAF) made this known during a press briefing held on Thursday, September 15, 2022 after a One Day Stakeholder Round-table Meeting in Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Speaking on behalf of the cluster, the Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Theodore Williams, noted that the meeting which stems from Nigeria Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) Project was designed to strengthen policy and program reforms for youths in Akwa Ibom State through advocacy for the creation and establishment of key policy frameworks in Akwa Ibom State.
He said the meeting was held in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Akwa Ibom State Chapter and was attended by relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) implementing youth component activities as coordinated by the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development.
Williams stated that the meeting agreed among other things, that there is increasing youth unemployment in Akwa Ibom State, lack of untapped economic opportunities for youths in the State despite the vast potential the state has and some initiatives that have been conducted.
He said the meeting had also observed increasing youth restiveness, poverty, and high rates of crimes, lack of coordination and collaboration amongst stakeholders working on Youth development and a disconnect between the National Youth Policy and the state level youth development initiatives, which they stressed is a consequence of the non-existent of a state youth policy.
The NYCN Chairman offered insight to the fact that although there is a national youth policy, the peculiarities of youth development needs of Akwa Ibom State makes it imperative for the State to require a State youth policy that will address the peculiar needs of youths in the State.
The cluster called on the government of Akwa Ibom State to facilitate the establishment of a multi- sectoral youth development technical committee/working group to ensure effective planning, execution, and evaluation of youth development initiatives in the State.
The cluster insisted that there is a need for practical and coordinated youth development projects and programmes beyond gathering of youths for political outings and jamborees.
They pointed out that uncoordinated development programmes make it difficult for impact to be measured.
While noting that in the past years, over 90 percent of the budget for Youth and Sports have been focused on sports, the Cluster called on the government of Akwa Ibom State to facilitate the establishment of a state youth development fund to sufficiently provide for youth development activities at a sustainable scale stressing that it can be immediately achieved by the Governor’s assent to the Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund Bill passed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in March, 2019.