WorldStage NewsOnline— The leadership of the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to declare State of Emergency on challenges facing youth development in Nigeria.
This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Reps Muda Umar, Kabir Tukur and Kari Elisha at plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Tukura said that the population of Nigeria, as reported by United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), has risen to about 201 million in 2019.
He said the report indicated that 60 per cent of the population was made up of youths aged between 15 and 35 years
He said that for Nigeria to attain meaningful economic development and for youths to be part of the global system, federal government must address the socio-economic factors bedeviling youths development in the country.
“If the current socio-economic challenges of unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, insecurity, access to quality educational and economic opportunities, corruption and greed in Nigeria are not addressed, they could undermine the stability and sustainable economic development of the country.
“The resultant effects of those challenges on youths are increasing crime rate such as kidnapping, insurgency, banditry, armed robbery, cyber crimes, prostitution and other vices,” he said.
The legislator expressed worry that some youths were being manipulated by politicians to either serve as thugs during elections or to engage in senseless anti-government protests as a result of their vulnerable conditions.
Tukura said that youths occupied strategic position in any country’s developmental process as their productive capacities and income generating activities contributed to economic development of any nation.
He said that declaring a state of emergency on challenges facing Nigerian youths have become imperative given the recent development in the country.
