By Maryam Aminu
The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has called on Nigerian youth to cancel the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August.
Speaking in his office on Thursday, Olawande emphasized that protests with potential for destruction are not the best way to voice concerns to the government.
“There are many ways we can register our displeasure as youth to the government, but a protest that has the potential to snowball into destruction is not an option,” Olawande stated.
“We have our whole future ahead of us. Hence, anything that hurts Nigeria affects us more than anyone else.”
Highlighting the government’s efforts to address youth issues, he pointed to various youth-focused initiatives.
He mentioned the “Young and Secure” campaign, which aims to prevent a recurrence of the issues that led to the 2020 #EndSARS protests, and the “Youth Desk,” a platform for young Nigerians to voice their concerns.
The Minister stressed the importance of bringing the government closer to the youth.
“Personally, I believe we need to work to bring the government closer to the youth, to make it easier for the youth to feel and experience the impact of government. This is the reason I have prioritized a political engagement, by visiting more than 13 states so far,” he said.
Olawande acknowledged the challenge of unemployment and the skills mismatch in the labour market. To address this, he cited the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA), which aims to upskill youth and connect them to employers.
“For those pursuing self-employment, the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) provides support, and President Tinubu has allocated ₦50 billion in nano-grants to small businesses across all 774 local government areas.” He stated
The Minister also mentioned the Consumer Credit Scheme, introduced by President Tinubu, to enable Nigerians to access goods and services with payments spread over time.
In the political sphere, Olawande noted that the President has appointed a significant number of young people to top government positions and promoted local government autonomy to democratize political participation at the grassroots level.
“While all the initiatives we are working on may not have addressed all the problems, I am confident that President Tinubu will continue to expand opportunities for the youth and other categories of Nigerians to thrive,” Olawande said.
He urged the youth to be patient and use all available channels to engage with the government.
“The doors to my office are open at all times to receive your complaints, grievances, and suggestions. Protests that will muddle up the issues we are fighting for will not advance our cause,” the Minister pleaded.
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