Participants at a North Central Zonal Town hall meeting on challenges of Nigerian youth in governance, have called on government at all levels to create enabling political environment for active participation of women and youths in governance.
The call is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting titled, “The Nigerian Youth in Governance, Status and the Way Forward” made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lokoja.
Participants observed that the Nigerian political environment was saturated with too many factors limiting youth and women participation.
They listed the factors to include monetisation of the electoral process, inadequate and unfavorable laws, lack of interest in development and governance, as well as inadequacy of skills, among others.
They therefore called on the Federal Government to enforce the law on electoral finances, bring political offenders to justice and ensure that electoral institutions were truly independent.
Participants also urged youth to start building interest in vocations that would prepare them for effective leadership positions.
Stakeholders also urged female youth to mobilise their voting strength for their fellow women and strive to aspire beyond fulfilling the requirements of ‘Affirmative Action’.
Those in attendance at the meeting include Ajuri Ngelale, SSA to the President on Public Affairs; Imani Odey, SA to Cross River State Governor on Electronic Media; Kunle Lawal, Rector, Electoral College, Nigeria and Mary Jacob Okwuosa, among others prominent personalities.
Edited By: Abiodun Esan
Source: NAN
Source: NAN
