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Determined to help the youths take their rightful place in governance and national development through the implementation of Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, has pledged to transform the Ministry of Youth Development.
Comrade Olawande revealed plans to transform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation program into a skills hub, emphasizing that this initiative would equip Youth Corps members with multiple skills, enabling them to become self-reliant and reduce dependence on government jobs after their service year.
The Minister who called on Nigerian to,”Let’s Put Our Diversity Aside and Work Together as a Team” advised Nigerians to prioritize the progress of the Nation by setting aside their differences and working together as a united team.
Olawande, who stated this during his maiden interactive session with the Ministry’s Media Correspondents in Abuja, highlighted the historic nature of his appointment, as he noted that this is the first time a youth has been appointed Minister of Youth Development since the inception of democracy in 1999.
He urged young Nigerians to support the current administration to help the youth take their rightful place in governance and national development.
According to him, “Things must change, and we cannot continue with outdated approaches. This is the time for action and results, to ensure we can bring smiles to the faces of Nigerian youths,”
Speaking on the National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), the Minister acknowledged challenges with its implementation, citing skepticism from some youths in the southern region. This, he explained, led to fewer applicants from the South compared to the North.
To address these issues, he announced plans to redesign the fund to ensure equal opportunities for youth across all regions.
The Minister called for the cooperation of the media in projecting the activities of the Youth Ministry positively, as he also pledged to operate an open door policy, to give access to the youths and media to approach him when the need arise.
“None of these programs can succeed without the cooperation of the media. We count on the media to provide positive and balanced coverage of the Ministry’s activities to help us achieve our mandate,” The Minister stated.
In his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olubunmi Olusanya, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity.
He assured Correspondents that the Ministry would operate an open-door policy to foster better collaboration and achieve its goals.
“This marks the first interactive session with the Minister since his appointment. Regular engagements like this will be prioritized to strengthen the relationship with the media,” Olusanya promised.
