By Biodun Busari

The Nigerian representative of the Africa Union-Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC), Dr Tunji Ashaolu has said that the African continent will not experience good governance unless youths are included.

According to him, all arms of government in Africa must imbibe the inclusion of young people as a strategy to enhance good governance.

Ashaolu said this in Abuja on Thursday during a one-day African young leadership induction and award ceremony with the theme: “Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, Justice and rule of law.”

Read also: Why youths should take charge of governance in Africa — Oladele

The Ambassadorial Award is channelled to promote young pan-African leaders in connection with African Union Agenda 2063, tagged “The Africa we want” and to strengthen diplomatic ties on the continent.

The AU envoy said the agenda 2063 was adopted because there is a need for the inclusion of young people to achieve good governance, NAN reports.

Ashaolu said: “AU have realised that over time the youth have not been carried along in issues that concern political leadership and good governance.

“The young people need to take ownership of the continent in order to have a better future because most of our founding fathers are gone and we can see the big vacuum they left by taking a look at our politics and governance.

“We are mandated to reawaken the spirit of good governance for a better future in Africa. Africa without the inclusion of young people is doomed because they are the future.

“The Union adopted the Agenda 2063 as a framework of development for the young people to be carried along in government.”

Speaking further at the event, Ambassador Ahmed Buhari, the Vice Presidential candidate for Action Democratic Congress and A.U Youth Envoy said that for good governance to thrive in Africa, there must be respect for human rights.

“When we talk about good governance, human rights must be taken seriously because all human beings deserve to be treated with respect.

“The reason why we always see and hear cases of protest from youths is because their rights have been infringed on.

“When young people are treated with respect and carried along in governance there won’t be a call for protest and conflicts which leads to unstable governance,” Buhari said.