Youth Council Urges FG to Tackle Insecurity, Youth Unemployment

By Ahmed Kaigama

Stakeholders of the North-East Zone of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) have called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts in addressing insecurity, youth unemployment, and infrastructural decay in the region.

The call was made in a communiqué issued at the end of the North-East stakeholders’ meeting signed and issued by Mr Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, concerned, on Thursday in Bauchi.

The meeting brought together representatives from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states.

The stakeholders commended the Service Chiefs and security agencies for their efforts in combating insurgency.

They urged them to adopt innovative strategies to end lingering insecurity while prioritizing civilian protection and rehabilitating conflict-affected communities.

They also expressed concern over the deplorable condition of federal roads, which they said endanger lives, hinder trade, and worsen insecurity. 

The communiqué urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works to take urgent action to rehabilitate and modernize the road network across the North.

On youth unemployment, the council decried rising economic hardship and called for sustainable job creation, entrepreneurship support, vocational training, and access to soft loans and grants to reduce poverty and insecurity.

The stakeholders emphasized the need for investment in quality education, particularly in the North, where the region faces challenges of out-of-school children, poor infrastructure, and inadequate teacher support.

On internal council matters, the zone pledged full participation in the forthcoming NYCN National Congress in Abuja and passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu and the Minister of State for Youth for their commitment to youth development.

They reaffirmed their commitment to national unity and inclusivity, urging all stakeholders to embrace dialogue and cooperation ahead of the October congress to strengthen the NYCN as the authentic voice of over 40 million Nigerian youths.