The Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Dr Azeezat Yishawu, on Monday encouraged Nigerian youths to choose dialogue over the proposed nationwide protest regarding the challenges young people face in the country.
In a statement obtained by our correspondent, Yishawu emphasised the challenges faced by youths, especially as a result of reforms such as subsidy removal and exchange rate fluctuations.
While acknowledging the challenging situation, the Speaker emphasised that dialogue may be more effective than the planned protests, which may not produce positive results and could result in lawlessness and vandalism by opportunistic individuals.
The Speaker urged young people to unite under established platforms to address their concerns while holding all the duty bearers accountable, recognising the efforts of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in addressing the nation’s challenges.
Yishawu’s statement partly read, “Government initiatives like the recently launched Students’ Loan and the relaunched National Youth Investment Fund, as well as the significant increase in the National Minimum Wage, as evidence of efforts to improve young people’s livelihoods.
“The recent landmark achievement in local government financial autonomy and the substantial increase in state and local allocations are all efforts put in place to mitigate the impact. As a result, young people should also hold their leaders, including those in state and local government, accountable.
“In March, the Federal Government approved the 30 per cent youth quota in all government appointments. This Executive order has been reflected throughout government appointments, in boards, agencies and parastatals. A technical committee was also constituted to monitor the implementation of the policy.”
Yishawu further highlighted various palliative measures initiated by the government, such as household palliatives, support to civil servants, and the Presidential CNG Initiative, to mitigate the impact of subsidy removal, urging the Federal Government to utilise established youth organisations to conduct youth stakeholders engagement meetings across the 36 states and FCT.
“The purpose of these meetings will be to interact with young people directly, generate reports, and develop actionable solutions promptly,” she added.
