Kogi Youths hail Bello for signing into law Youths Dev Council

By Idris Ahmed

Youths in Kogi State have hailed the governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for the establishment and subsequent signing in to law, the Youths Development Commission.

The commendation came at a one day Town Hall meeting organised by the Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolutions.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting with the theme “inspiring the Youth for leadership” held in Kogi Central Senatorial district, the group expressed appreciation to the government for recognizing the role of the Youths in nation building.

The communique, however, expressed reservation over absence of budgetary allocation to the Youth Development Commission since its creation, a situation that has been retarding the expected operations of organization.

The group also observed corruption and accountability are major obstacles to youth participation in leadership as the situation has spread to all parts and segment of the society, including religious, professional and community circles.

Up till this era, the Youths at the grassroots are yet to fully participate in political party leadership as the only position reserved for them mostly is that of Youth leader to lead thuggery vanguards.

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Due to the corrupt nature of the political arrangement, very few youths dared to purchase nomination forms and were defeated at the primaries or forced to withdraw unceremoniously to pave way for the recycled elders.

The group also faulted the Yahaya Bello Administration on its failure to conduct Local Government Council elections at the end of the elected councils, instead the Government unconstitutionally imposition Caretaker Taker Committees.

This according to the participants,has denied the youths the opportunity of contesting election at local levels, which is in contravention of the provision of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution as Amended.

-Despite the illegality of the Care Taker administration at local government Council level, the youths and Women were not favoured in the appointments .

After thorough and exhaustive deliberations on the woes of Youth and Women in the leadership roles, meeting resolved that, the Kogi State Government should through the Budgetary provisions, fund the Youth Development Commission adequately, so as to ensure their performance in improving youth living standard.

-The Youth are advised to live up to expectation by demanding for Accountability from elected or appointed leaders to ensure good governance

As stakeholders in elections, the Youths should shun the evil of vote buying and selling

Government should always ensure equity in the appointment into public offices, include young persons, to improve their participation in leadership development.

Political parties should encourage young persons by giving them the opportunity to lead at all levels of the party

It is time for the the citizens to fight corruption and encourage Accountability in all spheres of life, particularly the Nigerian youth as it can affect their development and future.

The participants also called for the- amendment of the 1999 Constitution to address the issue of age of contesting for political offices, where there will be no discrimination of young persons across Nigeria and improve youth in leadership position.

The resolution also demanded that Kogi State House of Assembly reverse the amendment of the Local Government Administration Law, that empowers the State Governor to appoint Caretaker leadership as it is inconsistent with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The Kogi State Government should as a matter of urgency, conduct elections into Local Government Councils as soon as possible within 6 months, through budgetary allocation in a Supplementary Budget as the current 2024 Kogi State Budget does not make such provision.

The meeting thanked the Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) for the on-going sensitization campaign towards improving youth involvement in leadership at state level in Kogi State.

The communique was counter signed by Idris Miliki Abdul the
Executive Director,
Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Kogi State.