We're committed to youth inclusion, empowerment: Kwara Gov

Date: 2020-12-17

·Panelists proffer way forward, commend govt's commitment

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday said youth empowerment and gender inclusion remain top priorities of the administration as part of its strategies for inclusive growth and development.

The Governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, at a town hall meeting organised by the Kwara State representative at the Northern Governors' Forum's Committee on Youth Engagement, Priorities and Inclusion in Governance Kaosarah Adeyi on behalf of the committee.

The committee is one of the government's response to the recent #EndSARS protest, while the town hall meeting in Ilorin was the first by any state representative on the regional committee.

AbdulRazaq commended the town hall meeting initiative which brought together panelists who spoke on themes bothering on gender inclusion and youth engagement in governance, as well as dozens of young people from all walks of life.

The Governor, who took time to listen to the conversations around the discourse, observed that the quality of the engagement was encouraging and reaffirmed his belief in young people, and said he would present the report of the town hall meeting for further debate by the northern governors.

"This is truly inspiring and I am impressed by the quality of the attendance and your contributions. It is the kind of engagement we look forward to," he remarked after listening to presentations by various subgroups at the meeting. The Governor had earlier explained what his administration was doing for the youths and women.

"Our administration has prioritised youth inclusion in the scheme of things. And for the first time, we have mainstreamed gender inclusion by giving the highest number of appointments to women in the cabinet, ministries, and key parastatals," he said.

"We have also designed a couple of initiatives that are targeted at youths and women, while investments are being made in the education sector to raise the literacy bar of Kwarans. The upcoming innovation hub, the Visual Arts Centre, the proposed Kwapreneur, and the Digital Kwara are a few examples of such initiatives.

"However, we understand the critical roles that young people must play in the future of our state, hence this meeting. I believe that this town hall meeting is largely representative of Kwarans. It is hoped that this event will help to harvest sustainable solutions to the myriads of challenges holding us back as a people.

"I urge Kwara youth to stand up for what is right at all time without giving in to violence."

Mrs Kaosarah Adeyi, convener of the town hall meeting, said the event was organised to draw up solutions to some of the issues militating against youth inclusion in governance. She said the meeting was based on the resolutions of the Northern Governors Forum Committee on Youth Engagement, Priorities and Inclusion in Governance, headed by the Emir of Zauzzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamali.

The Committee has a mandate to collate views and suggestions that will be communicated to the Northern Governors' Forum at the close of deliberation, she said, asking participants to articulate their thoughts on way forward.

"The committee was set up as a result of the resolutions of Northern States Traditional Rulers Council meeting, held on Monday, 2nd November, 2020 and to work out various ways of engaging youths in the north at different levels, prioritise different programmes for youth development in the north, and to identify and develop different platforms for youth inclusion in governance in Nigeria and the north in particular, among other terms of reference," she explained.

Dr. Aminat Ahmed El-Imam, a university teacher and subgroup leader at the event, lauded the present administration for leading by sample in the campaign against gender discrimination and for exceptionally engaging the younger ones in his cabinet.

She identified age, gender, religion, disability and citizenship as basic demographic features that can be used to measure inclusion in governance, and acknowledged how the Kwara has been fair on religious tolerance.

Nasir AbdulKadir, Founder of Positive Image Consults, urged the government to work with private sectors to midwife an economy that properly engages young people. He suggested sustainable investment in the textile and real estate industries as major ways of giving jobs to young people.

Toba Adeyeye, also a panelist, charged youths to fully take advantage of the enabling environment the government has created for young entrepreneurship, citing the birth of the Enterprise Ministry as a proof of AbdulRazaq's seriousness to grow businesses and self-reliance.

Rukayat Yahaya of Tamirah Wellbeing Foundation, another panelist, urged young people to expand their knowledge base and to always support one another. Mrs Yahaya advised the youths to set actionable and achievable goals that they may take happiness from upon completion.

Rafiu Ajakaye

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

December 16, 2020

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Police Commissioner     Bola Iyabo Ibiyeye Adisa     Dele Belgore     Leke Ogungbe     Shettima Of Ilorin     Femtech     Sarkin Malamai     Ilorin Emirate Staff Association     Code Of Conduct Bureau     Ibrahim Gambari     Lateef Alagbonsi     Gbemisola Saraki     Saad Omo Iya     Ubandawaki     Balogun-Ojomu     Salihu S. Yaru     Bamidele Aluko     Maigidasanma     Olota Of Odo-Owa     Kemi Adeosun     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Kwara Teaching Service Commission     Moshood Bakare     Kwara 2015     Chemiroy Nigeria Limited     Zubair Folorunsho Erubu     Oloriegbe     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Abdulwahab Ololele     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Salihu Alhaji Musa     Aliyu U. Tilde     Sam Onile     Usman Alkali Baba     Samuel Adedoyin     Saidu Isa     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Olosi Of Osi     Muhammed Danjuma     2017 Budget     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Millennium Development Goals     Abdulkareem Alabi     Madawaki     Olohungbebe     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Unilorin     Abubakar Abdulraheem     Ahman Pategi University     Diagnostic Centre     Shehu Jimoh     Bola Shagaya     Abdulwasiu Bolaji Adeyi     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Kwara State Government     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Riskat Opakunle     Facemasks     Mohammed Yisa     Okedare     Okanlawon Taiwo     Musa Alhassan Buge     Saka Saadu     Apado     Convocation Ceremonies     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Kwara State Football Association     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Titus Ashaolu     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Ibrahim Mashood     GRA     Umar Ayinla Saro     Agboola Babatunde     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Temitope Ogunbanke    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Baba Adini Of Kwara State     Saudat Abdulbaqi     SGBN     Ajeigbe     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Wale Oladepo     Bola Magaji     Imodoye Writer’s Enclave     Kamoru Kadiri     Ali Ahmad     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     NIRSAL     Bashir Badawi     Inside Kwara     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Economic And Financial Crimes Commission     Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja     Mumeen Lah     Sarah Alade     Musa Aibinu     Alabe     Olatunji Moronfoye     Osinbajo     Millennium Development Goals     KWASAA     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Kwha.gov.ng     Kayode Oyin Zubair     Chief Of Staff     Arik     Ilorin.Info     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Bamikole Omishore     AbdulGafar Tosho     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Sanitation Exercise     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao     Owu Fall     Olabode George Towoju     Bello Bature     Sunday Popo-Ola     Mutawali     Saliu Oluwole     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     Wahab Agbaje     Lai Gobir     Wahab Olasupo Egbewole     Ahman Pategi University     Radio SBS     MMWG     Clara Nwachukwu     Eghe Igbinehin     Ilorin Likeminds Foundation     Olabimpe Olani     Aliyu U. Tilde     Modupe Oluwole     Rotimi Oyedepo     Ayobami Akanbi     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Oba Abdulrahim     Kayode Yusuf     Jamiu Oyawoye     Dumagi     Arinola Lawal     Oluronke Adeyemi     Tsaragi/Share     COVID-19 Palliatives     Saka Aleshinloye     Owode Market     VADA     Mahmud Ayinla Giwa     Folorunsho Erubu     Tunji Moronfoye     Facebook     Surajudeen Akanbi     Abdulhakeem Amao