The Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim has reiterated her unwavering resolve to champion the cause of the Nigerian Youth.
The Minister stated that she is passionate and dedicated to youth affairs.
The Minister gave the assurance when she played host to senior officials of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, (NYP), who were led on a courtesy visit to her by their Speaker, Azeezat Yishawu, in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.
The Minister praised the speaker for her stewardship of the parliament and also gave the assurance that she would look into the challenges of the NYP and provide the necessary support.
She said, “I have watched from a distance and seen how she is steering the ship of the Nigeria Youth Parliament and she has done well, it is my hope and desire to see that you evolve into bigger responsibilities and take on bigger roles”.
“This is your Ministry, this is your home. I have taken note of all your challenges, requests and of course, all the good work that the Parliament has done, which is very impressive and the Ministry will take all necessary steps to address the challenges”, she added.
Dr. Ibrahim promised to study the report on the National Youth Security Summit, adding that she is very passionate about women and youth. She said, “When it comes to youth and women, this is my passion, especially supporting them because I see myself in them.”
She attributed the success of Yishawu partly to the support she enjoyed from the male members of the Parliament and called for the need to give women more space to exhibit their leadership qualities.
In her address, the Speaker of the Parliament, Azeezat Yishawu disclosed that they were in the Ministry to assure the Minister that the Nigerian Youth are behind her and ready to provide all the necessary support to help her succeed. Yishawu noted that the responsibility of the Minister is huge as she is responsible for about half of the population of the country.
She told the Minister that the youth Parliament had also come to avail her with a comprehensive report on the research it had carried out on about twenty states across the country which will be helpful in policy formulation and programne implementation that will greatly impact positively on the Youth.
She disclosed that the Nigerian Youth Parliament under her leadership had carried out some activities such as the National Youth Security Summit that was held last year to examine how young people can participate in keeping the peace in the country, research on drug abuse due to the sudden increase in cases of drug abuse and social vises by young people and issues relating to Youth employment.
The NYP complained that it was short of funds and that it had impeded the execution of many of its programmes.
The Director Network and Social Mobilisation Department of the Ministry, Hajia Amina Daura informed the Minister that the Nigerian Youth Parliament was inaugurated on the 28th of August, 2008 by the former President, late Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’adua, and GCFR.
She added that the current session, which is the fifth, was inaugurated on the 9th of December, 2021 and has a non-renewable term of two years.
The director disclosed that the NYP serves as a training ground for preparing young people for leadership roles and allows them to make inputs in decisions and matters that affect them.
Dominica Nwabufo
