By Fatima Saka
In bridging the divide between government and the youth, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development have announced their collaboration to engage the young populace in the region and address the issue of hard drug usage among them.
This partnership was disclosed during a meeting between the Managing Director of the North East Development Commission, Mohammed Alkali, and Ayodele Olawande, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Youth Development in Abuja on Tuesday.
Highlighting the genesis of the commission, Managing Director Alkali emphasized that the NEDC was established in response to the insurgency by Boko Haram, which has led to a situation where education loses its value due to the lack of employment opportunities for graduates.
He noted that the members of Boko Haram are individuals with significant intellect, and in the absence of job prospects, they often resort to drug use as a result of their lack of engagement in meaningful activities.
Alkali reiterated the urgent establishment of the Commission, which has formulated a comprehensive master plan for the reconstruction, development, and rehabilitation of the Northeast region. This master plan encompasses 11 pillars, with a strong focus on youth empowerment, development, and education across various sectors such as agriculture, ICT, and commerce.
Acknowledging the prevalent challenges faced by the youth in the region, Alkali highlighted the Commission’s initiatives, including the construction of 18 mega schools to provide conducive learning environments for the youth. Additionally, 18 ICT centers have been set up to train young individuals in ICT skills, particularly in handset review and graphic design.
“Because you might have youth in agriculture, you might have youth in ICT, you might have youth in commerce. I mean, all the sectors we talk about, youth are there. So I’ve dedicated a lot of resources and time to see that. And I’m going to talk about how youth are being considered and taken care of properly.
“We took the challenge of visiting all the states in the Northeast, the whole board and the first thing you will see when you go to the states is youth lined up on the roads trying to welcome you, in their various categories, the young, the very young, and not too old, they are all there,” he added.
In his remarks, Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the Chairman for the positive impact of the Commission’s efforts in the region. He emphasized the need for the government to connect more effectively with the youth and address the root causes of issues such as drug abuse through collaborative initiatives.
Olawande stressed the importance of engaging with the youth to prevent the escalation of drug abuse, highlighting the necessity for a unified approach to combat this pervasive issue.
He proposed the implementation of a comprehensive framework under the campaign “One Youth, One World” to address the growing problem of drug abuse among the youth population.
As both the NEDC and the Ministry of Youth Development join forces to tackle these pressing challenges, the focus remains on fostering a supportive environment for the youth, empowering them with the necessary skills and resources to lead productive and fulfilling lives.
“I can easily say that i have a roadmap and start looking for people to implement it but now we have a roadmap we have an agenda let’s put those road marks together and hit the road for the good of this country”