The Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Bio Ibrahim, has met with the youths and stakeholders in Borno state advocating for peace and collaboration in the state.
She was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Development, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, and other officials, who led the Ministry’s team during a courtesy visit to the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the state capital.
The purpose of the visit was to engage in a town hall meeting and dialogue with the youth from across the Northeast.
Jamila emphasized, ‘We are here for a stakeholder engagement with the young people, the youth, the youth groups across the Northeast. And the best place to do this is Borno State because we want to prove that you and your predecessor have done a good job.’
She further highlighted the state’s progress, adding, ‘And we want the world to know there is peace in Borno. We have seen construction in the city, and whoever wants to visit can do so with ease. We have chosen Borno a
s the hosting state for the National Council on Youth where the highest decision-making body on youth development will be converging sometime this year. I will chair this meeting, along with other members, including commissioners of youth development or those responsible for youth development in their respective states.’
The Minister also discussed potential collaborations between the Federal Ministry of Youth and Development and the Borno State Government, stating, ‘We have chosen Borno State as one of our states for implementation under the Presidential Initiative on Youth Enterprise Clusters. This initiative was drawn from the Youth Investment Fund, which we are all familiar with.’
After assessing the initiative, she noted, ‘We realized it would be more impactful if it’s dispersed to clusters of young people as opposed to individual disbursement.’ She clarified, ‘But not to say that individuals will not receive funds, but they will be thoroughly scrutinized to ensure that government resources are channel
led in the right direction.
‘We are confident that with what the Borno State Government has on ground, in terms of meticulous assessment for any initiative for the youth, it won’t be a problem as regard to this initiative. And what we marked out for Borno is actually renewable energy because of the natural sunlight that the state is blessed with and the entire northeast.’
Welcoming the delegation, Governor Zulum expressed his support, saying, ‘I am aware that you are coming to Borno for a stakeholder engagement with the youths on some matters arising that may affect the well-being of the youths in Nigeria.’
He stressed the importance of youth engagement, stating, ‘There is a need for us to engage the youth because youth play a critical role in the growth and development of the nation. Education is very key. Peace as well as security is key. Without youth engagement, there will never be peace in Nigeria. Therefore, the coming of the Honourable Minister at this time is very apt.’
Governor Zulum also pointed
out the importance of educating youth about societal dangers, particularly related to protests and activities that could harm the country.
He emphasized, ‘Nigeria should remain an indivisible element. And for us to achieve the objective of national unity and cohesion, there is need for the Federal Ministry of Youth and other stakeholders to put heads together with a view of engaging the youth on a platform that will bring cohesion among the length and breadth of the nation.’
He concluded by acknowledging the Ministry’s efforts, ‘I am aware that the Ministry is creating a lot of programs and initiatives on youth development. I want to assure you that the Borno State Government, under my leadership, will partner with you so that the programs and initiatives that your Ministry will be creating will be keyed into our 25-year development plan.’
Source: Voice of Nigeria