A former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has called for greater investment in Nigerian youths, saying they remain the backbone and driving force of the country’s development.
Lamido, who spoke on Wednesday at the Abuja national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at an event to mark the International Youth Day, urged the authorities to pay attention to challenges confronting young people globally.
Represented at the event by a former Communications Minister, Isa Pantami, the former Jigawa governor said Nigerian youths, who constitute more than 60 per cent of the country’s population, must be given greater roles in decision-making, policy formulation and governance.
“In democracy, the wish of the majority prevails,” he said.
According to him, youths possess enormous potential in emerging sectors, including the creative industry, digital economy, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, biotechnology, smart agriculture and politics.
He, however, identified unemployment, inadequate mentorship, high cost of living and an outdated education system as major challenges facing young Nigerians.
Lamido said the mismatch between university education and labour-market demands had left many graduates not only unemployed but “unemployable.”
He urged the government to reform the education system to produce entrepreneurs and employers rather than graduates solely seeking paid employment, while calling for increased investment in education, modern facilities, training and retraining.
Lamido also lamented the high cost of political participation, arguing that the “Not Too Young To Run” campaign had remained largely theoretical because many young Nigerians could not afford the financial requirements for seeking elective office.
He commended the PDP for subsidising nomination fees for women and urged the party to extend similar support to young aspirants. “The system should be subsidised to the extent that when we say ‘Not Too Young To Run’, then there is no inhibition,” he said.
The former governor urged the PDP and political leaders to prioritise youth development through skills acquisition, empowerment, mentorship and education, stressing: “Without the youth, there is no Nigeria. The youth are in the majority.”
(The Whistler)