Insecurity: Cleric advocates adequate priority for youth development

By Yinusa Ishola

Youths
Omu-Aran (Kwara), Feb. 27, 2020 (NAN) A cleric, Prophet Christopher Owolabi, has advocated adequate priority for youth development by all tiers of government, especially in the 2020 budget proposals.

Owolabi, the General Overseer of the Christ Apostolic Church, Ori-oke Irapada, Omu-Aran, made the call during a church special service, tagged: “Youth as Agent of National Development”, in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara.

The cleric explained that such intervention would assist immensely in engaging the youth productively and curb the menace of youth involvement in insurgency, banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping.

According to him, the youths remained the engine room of any nation’s growth, progress and socio-economic development.

He noted that current development in the country had posed a lot of expectations on youth active involvement in promoting the nation’s socio-economic development.

The cleric also called on youths to remain focused and always imbibe the act of honesty, integrity and transparency.

Owolabi underscored the need for Nigerian youths to learn from the mistakes and misdeeds of past leaders in contributing their quota to the nation’s development.

Besides, the cleric advised youths to maintain a high level of moral and academic background for them to be relevant in the scheme of things.

“In other words, in carrying out such civic responsibility it behoves on government at all tiers to accord adequate priority toward empowering the youths adequately and productively.

“Enough funds should be allocated toward the training of youths on entrepreneurship, vocations and skills for them to be self sustenance and reliance.

“This intervention will no doubt go a long way to engage the youths and refocused their mindset away from criminal activities,” he said.

The cleric also called for a formidable synergy between the states’ Ministries of Youth Development and their Federal counterpart in order to achieve the desired development envisioned for the nation’s youth populace.

“The job of developing the youths should not be limited to the states and federal ministries of youth development alone, but a collective effort and synergy with other ministries such as agriculture, enterprise, e.t.c, will also work magic,” he said. (NAN)

ISHO/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola