Anambra Youth Coalition Proffers Solution to Youth Unemployment, Restiveness Too

By Chukwuka Ugokwe/Chika Obinwa

Awka, Jan. 18, 2020 (MOI) A Coalition of Anambra Youths has recommended cardinal means for effective engagement of youths to curb unemployment, hopelessness, poverty and restiveness, prevalent across the nation.

The body made a strong case for increased government intervention measures in vocational training/skills acquisition, social security safety net, subsidised formal education, involvement in security architecture and governance.

Rising from a One-Day Stakeholders meeting in Awka with Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Prof Theresa Obiekezie, they called for more investment in the creative industry.

The coalition included representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Nigeria Girl’s Guild Association, Civil Societies Organisation, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and the United Anambra Youth Assembly (U-AYA).

Prof. Obiekezie set the tune for the forum, stating that it was convened to deliberate on how the youths want to be engaged, especially in the wake of #ENDSARS protests across the country.

She added that the interactive meeting conceived to hold in three phases, state, zonal and National stages target to identify challenges confronting the youths and ways to tackle them.

While advising the leaders to set the right standards and lead by example, she enjoined them to make it a sense of duty to hold congresses as and when due to brainstorm on issues affecting them.

Earlier, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Louisa Ezeanya, identified punctuality, discipline and respect for elders as virtues needed to positively shape their lives.

Some of the participants including Samuel Egwuatu, Kenechukwu Makwudo, Damian Ukatu, Ifeanyi Aniagoh, Chinaza Ibe, Innocent Nduanya, Chijioke Ifediora and Ngozi Nnamekwe, advocated for wealth creation opportunities especially `for poorest of the poor’ in the state. They reasoned that government/private sector partnership in the areas of Indigenous digital economy, film villages, art exhibition/shows, sports development, vocational centres in rural areas, agriculture and creation of employment opportunities could mitigate youths restiveness.