A stakeholders’ forum, the Niger Delta National Youth Leadership has called for engagement of youths and their organisations in critical decision making processes in the area.
The forum said that the youths should be involved in the implementation of policies and monitoring of project of governments in the region.
President of the forum, Mr Felix Ihonre, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Ihonre said that governments in the region appeared to be reluctant in assigning good responsibilities to youths, and described it as “unfortunate”.
He said that time had come when youths should be allowed to participate in serious issues of governance and not have on indecent assignments reserved for them at difficult times.
He said that youths constituted more than 90 per cent of “human tools used directly or indirectly to foment trouble and drive negative and even positive agenda in the region.”
Lamenting the trend, he called governments in the region “to give more listening ears and proactive consideration to the yearnings and aspirations of youths, for peace and development of the area,” saying “youths are result-oriented”.
The youth leader also called for a sustainable partnership between the young people in the area and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
He further advocated mandatory and coordinated corporate social responsibilities for the youths by companies operating in the region.
According to him, involving youths in project initiation, implementation and monitoring will foster development in the region.
