FG Urges Youths to Take Advantage of Interventions to Accelerate Nation’s Socio-economic Growth

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin 

Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio, at the weekend tasked youths in the country to take advantage of the federal government’s numerous interventions in the various communities towards advancing the socio economic development of the country. 

Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara state capital shortly after her visit to comprehensive Needs Assessment of communities in Edu and Baruten local government areas of the State, Dr. Bio however  stated that, the importance of community development cannot be over emphasised in then youth development and  nation’s building. 

Some of these interventions, he said, include the Presidential Initiative on Youth Enterprise Cluster (PIYEC), Youth Development Bank, Youth Development Centres, Nigerian Education Loan Fund, SMEDAN’s National Skills Business Initiative, ITF Skill Up Artisan programme, 3MTT programme, and the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), which he stressed is focused on empowering young entrepreneurs and innovators.

Bio said the exercise was part of the federal government’s broader strategy to assess and address the development needs of rural communities across the country. 

She added,  “This is to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach nooks and crannies of the country, and to ensure that the impacts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership is felt at the grassroots. Community development is not just a pathway to improving infrastructure and services but a cornerstone for empowering young people to become active participants in nation-building.”

At each of these communities, she engaged with their traditional rulers, who highlighted their infrastructural needs. 

The royal fathers also commended the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and urged lawmakers from Kwara North to support and work with them to facilitate more development in the region. 

In her response, the minister promised increased federal government interventions for the communities especially in the areas of youth empowerment, and critical infrastructure upgrade by appropriate agencies and ministries of government.

During her interactions with the youth of some of the visited communities, Bio highlighted the various initiatives of the Tinubu’s administration aimed at empowering young Nigerians, urging them to maximize these opportunities to foster youth enterprise at the grassroots.

She said: “President Tinubu is a youth-friendly leader and in line with his commitment to youth development, the federal government has launched different key interventions for the youth.”