The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Marafa, has charged youths in the state to be more enterprising.He gave the charge on Wednesday when a delegation of the National Youths Council of Nigeria, Niger State chapter, visited the House in Minna.
Marafa said that the state government’s development initiatives would only be realised with the full participation of innovative youths.
“The rate of youth restiveness in the country, particularly Niger state is alarming and calls for worry from every well meaning citizen.
“It is unfortunate that most of our youths do not have a clear cut idea of what they intend to do with their lives.
“An average youth in Niger is thinking of just one profession and that is kabu kabu. You ask him to think of anyother thing to help his life and he will be speechless.
“I have tried to come up with programmes to accommodate youths, but the more I try, the more they stay away. They only want to be given fish without being taught how to fish.
“The Niger state youth council is lagging behind in many areas and this is a source of concern to us.
“Don’t just be about advocacy but come up with programmes to engage yourselves and we as a government will give you all the necessary support,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the state council, Malam Jibril Muregi, called for more synergy between government and youths.
He said that the council would collaborate with the three tiers of government toward the development of the state.
“We are ready at all times to collaborate with the three tiers of government for the development of the state. That has been our goal.
“Any programme and policies that affect youths’ upliftment for a better tomorrow are those that are welcome by this council,” he said.
