Says digital engagement’ll harness potential of youths

Presents YDE project report from Akwa Ibom, Gombe, and FCT

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

As the future of every country lies in their young population, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Tuesday, called on government to invest in young people in Nigeria in order to have a fast developing socio-economic life.

The call was made by the Country Director, AAN, Ene Obi, in an address of welcome at the Youth Digital Engagement (YDE)Project Closeout and Dissemination meeting, supported by the Danish International Development Agency, DANIDA.

Obi who expressed concern over the plight of young people in Nigeria said it is now very imperative than ever for government to look inwards and put in huge resources to digitally develop the enormous potential young Nigerians possess.

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Speaking on the YDE report that was unveiled at the meeting, she said the disruption by COVID-19 pandemic amplified many challenges faced by young people in Sub-Saharan Africa, which an estimated 20 million African jobs were lost, and the impact of these job losses was acute on young people, which the report looks at the heightened challenges youth are encountering and provides a roadmap for bettering the lot of young people by building back better to create and support more livelihood now and in the future for a prosperous nation.

She added that the despite youth’s capacity to shape social and economic innovations, they are increasingly left out in access to livelihood enhancement programmes put in place by governments.

She further stated that the report proffers recommendation for addressing the factors hindering young people’s access to programmes aimed at empowering them; increasing their inclusion in civic space and helping them to cope with the challenges of environmental issues and climate change.

The YDE project as a COVID-19 response leverages on the use of technology to support the work of young people in holding duty bearers to account in FCT, Akwa Ibom and Gombe States. Through the creation of digital engagement tools, young people in the project areas were supported and empowered to access information, analyse of data, present evidence, and lead their communities in acting against reduced work opportunities for informal sector workers; job losses due to restrictions on business operations and functions; lack of access to formal and informal learning opportunities and social sharing of misinformation regarding the spread of COVID-19 and claimed remedies.

It is a multi-level country project that was simultaneously implemented in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Palestine, Nigeria, and Zambia, and the project commenced in June 2020 and designed for long-term sustainability within, and throughout, the ActionAid Federation.

She said: “Investing in human capital is something we must advocate for, and investing on human capital is preparing humans as personnel or workforce for your economy and it is not doing anybody a favour.

“Like the public universities that produced some of us including most of the leaders because we do not use to have private universities, but what attention are we giving to these universities? How come you cannot put your children in these universities? Our political class has taken their children outside the country, and the resources they supposed to invest in Nigeria they are investing in other countries.

“They should not forget that as they invest in their children they will still bring them back to this country, and what is the point? And if you want to get a job government officials ask you who gave you note? We need to open the space for young people.

“Develop the capacity of young people. The government needs to invest in public schools. The government needs to focus on young people. We engage Ministers because they are also Nigerians.

“Many of these ministers are not talking and here is bloodshed across the country and many of them cannot go home, and you are still a leader in this country and you are not focusing. We are also building the capacity of young people. We are saying every child in Nigeria demands dignity. We are saying every person in Nigeria needs protection, and access to the economy. Corruption is a cankerworm eating our resources that supposed to be used for the people.

“To be able to provide public services you need to invest; COVID-19 is so lenient when it comes to public health facilities and what that means had it been COVID-19 hit Nigeria as it heats India and others but God showed us mercy. Many governors never built one hospital in their states before running to the National Assembly.”

She also called on government to engage more with citizens of Nigeria instead of doing things that will make them rebel and work against the policies and programmes of government.

However, reacting to Twitter ban by the Federal Government, she said, “On the recent ban of Twitter, when you are not tweeting with people, talking with people and engaging with people, when you are not opening the space for people they will go an engage somewhere. Even as a parent at home if you are not talking with your children they will go outside and talk with other people and it is more dangerous for them. What we are asking is Nigerians need to talk with each other.

“When the ban came down on Twitter I wish such ban came down on insurgents. When I was younger I knew Fulanis as friendly people and not these criminals we see today. Why can’t the government go after the criminals, and why are you hiding under a sector?

“She also condemned government to call on media houses to bring down Twitter handles, and called on Nigerians to stand for one nation as stakeholders despite the challenges.”

Meanwhile, harping on the need for young people to take advantage of the YDE project, the keynote speaker, Member House of Representatives, Hon Karu Simon Elisha, said young people need to be encouraged to use their potential rightly for national development.

Elisha said: “The young person should be given the opportunity to avail themselves for expanding activities and a space. The statistics in terms of unemployment rate in Nigeria that creates a huge opportunity for young people to explore. Open up access to easy education and free education for young people.

“I will encourage young people in Nigeria to keeping to that space created for them. Like the entertainment industry in Nigeria, where young people can occupy the space.

“Youth Digital Engagement is an opportunity to young people to tap into and have resources.”

In a goodwill message, the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, represented by Benedict Agu, said, “Today is auspicious in the sense that we leverage on the power of technology to engage the youthful population in the country, to better the human condition, and of course we know the challenges we have presently.

“Without technology, without engaging the youths proactively the country will definitely have no better future because we say children, youths, adolescents are the future of the country. You can’t move forward in a country where there is no dignity for humans, serious engagement, and it becomes very important we pray for Nigeria in this trying moment.

“So the engagement today is very important and wonderful, and I want Nigerians to thank ActionAid Nigeria for the enormous work that has taken place in three States. I will implore steady availability of funds to replicate what they have done in these states in other states and I know that it is going to help everyone.”

Vanguard News Nigeria