By Gabriel Ewepu and Alice Ekpang

AS young people remain cardinal in national peace and development, a Civil Society Organisation, CSO, Work in Progress, WiP, Alliance, yesterday, tasked the Federal, State, Local Governments development partners and others to adequately fund youth development programmes and projects.

The call was made by Being Young In Naija (BYIN) Project Lead, Grace Attah, during a media briefing on the #BeingYoungInNaija (BYIN) project in Abuja.

According to Attah, Nigerian youth are amongst the most enterprising globally, using their skills to drive positive change and create value in their communities.

She said: “You will all agree there is a need for increased youth engagement across several sectors in our nation. It is therefore imperative to provide them with opportunities via job creation and development programmes.

“Evidence shows that Nigerian youth are amongst the most enterprising globally, using their skills to drive positive change and create value in their communities. However, their skills are often underutilized as they mostly remain cut off from opportunities, the needed support, and encouragement to contribute to nation-building & development.

“Thus, today, we are restating our call to government agencies and relevant stakeholders to dedicate more resources to youth development programmes, especially as provided within the National Youth Policy, NYP.

“We are also calling for the implementation of the NYP through partnership building and putting in place sustainable structures that support youth development.”

Speaking on the #BeingYoungInNaija project, she explained that it was launched by Oxford Committee for Famine Relief OXFAM by Chioma  Chuka Consulting Services Limited, CCCSL, targeting at amplifying young Nigerian voices, in order to highlight their experiences, challenges, opportunities available to them and underscores the critical need to engage government.

“The first phase of the Being Young in Naija, BYIN, Project was launched in September 2020 by the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, OXFAM, and implemented by Chioma Chuka Consulting Services Limited (CCCSL) under the Work in Progress (WiP) alliance. The second phase of the campaign kicked off in August, earlier this year, on International Youth Day.

“The project is meant to amplify young Nigerian voices, highlight their experiences, challenges and opportunities available to them. It also underscores the critical need to engage government stakeholders on youth-oriented policies via collaborations with youth-led bodies, key national agencies & policymakers to achieve tangible global action.”

She also explained that in response to illuminating outcomes from Phase One, they decided to upscale campaign activities to build upon previous work and expand the Being Young in Naija conversations.

“We hope to create structures to enhance youth and state engagement avenues via key stakeholder partnerships targeting organisations with a youth-centric focus.

“As part of our commitment to fulfilling these objectives, we are joining forces with youth activists and youth-led organisations to promote strategies to foster youth development.

“We hope that created structures will spur all stakeholders concerned to deliver on the National Youth Policy (NYP) promises through this partnership”, she said.

According to her, the National Youth Policy (2019-2023) has stipulated priorities, policy directions and practical support to develop young Nigerians, which indicates the readiness of the Nigerian Government and its people to meet the needs and aspirations of the youth and seek solutions to their problems.

“With five clear strategic development areas, the NYP’s goal is to provide an appropriate framework that protects the fundamental human rights of all youth, promotes their overall development and well-being, and enhances their participation in every sphere of national development. The NYP addresses these gaps. Its complete implementation ensures that young people and the entire nation can stand a chance of an assured future.

“We also solicit the support of the media and well-meaning Nigerians to continue to hold the government and other stakeholders to account concerning the commitments outlined in the NYP”, she said.