POLICIES IN MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

As president Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks his one year in office, let us peep into the ministry of youth development and bring out the myriad of policies and programmes aimed at putting the youths on pedestal of socioeconomic development. The state minister, Ayodele Olawande, has demonstrated remarkable productivity since his appointment. Recognizing the importance of youth development, he has actively engaged with stakeholders to collaborate on initiatives aimed at empowering the Nigerian youth. In his efforts to equip young Nigerians with valuable skills, the minister recently launched a pioneering scheme known as the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA). This initiative seeks to ensure that every youth in Nigeria has, at least, two skills. NiYA provides millions of young individuals across the country with access to a growing collection of online classes that can be taken at their own pace, from any location, and at any time.

Through the NiYA platform, participants have the opportunity to connect with subject matter experts in real-time, enabling them to enhance their learning experience on-the-go. This interactive approach allows for practical engagement and the development of essential skills for personal and professional growth. Moreover, NiYA offers a digital community where participants can stay up-to-date on various opportunities and information relevant to boosting their careers and entrepreneurship prospects. The platform creates a space for networking, ideas sharing, and fostering collaborations among young Nigerians who are eager to make a positive impact in their respective fields. Olawande’s commitment to youth development and creating opportunities for the Nigerian youth is commendable. Through his proactive approach and initiatives like NiYA, he is actively working towards building a skilled and empowered young generation that can contribute to the nation’s progress.·         

The minister in collaboration with the Nigerian Police has launched the Nigerian Youth help desk as a measure to receive, process and escalate concerns from Nigerian youth. The minister lauded the role and impact of the Nigerian police in sustaining law and order in the country, while also applauding the Police Affairs Minister and Inspector General of Police for their cooperation towards the launching of the initiative. Olawande disclosed that his office will work closely with stakeholders in all 36 states, including the FCT, to ensure that the help desk is effective across the country. We may not be able to adequately monitor the situation in each state from Abuja, so we will constitute a close relationship with Commissioners of Youth across the country to ensure efficiency,” the minister stated. He, however, advised Nigerian youth not to abuse the help desk and to ensure only credible and attention-worthy issues and concerns are brought forward.

In another development, the minister Olawande has requested  for collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to drive an inclusive digital skill acquisition for Nigerian youth. The minister assured of his commitment towards facilitating the pilot phase of #Digital4All at all NYSC orientation camps, which he described as a good place to commence the  implementation of the initiative. Earlier, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, shared the agency’s strategic commitment to achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda in the information and technology space through sustainable inclusion, diversification, increased productivity and human capacity building. He also presented the Agency’s action plan for achieving 70% Digital Literacy by 2027 and the impending launch of the Digital for All (D4All) initiative .

 This has come at a time when the Minister of State announced initial discussions to collaborate with Warner Music Group on the “Youth In Entertainment” initiative. The intended partnership with Warner Music Group will enhance the capacity of the youth ministry to adequately support music talents who are already showcasing their huge potential in the entertainment industry.

Saminu Ibrahim Abdu, Pambegua, Kaduna State