Senator Ahmad Lawan, Senate President of the Nigerian senate, has revealed the decision of the National Assembly ( NASS ) to join hands with the Federal Government to ensure that the Nigerian youth benefit greatly from the various empowerment programmes put in place by the government.
The Senate President made this known at a meeting of traditional rulers and 19 State Governors from the northern part of the country. The meeting was held in Kaduna recently.
Senator Lawan said, ‘In the National Assembly (NASS), we will ensure that the whole country has peace, work with the executive arm of government to bring sanity and ensure the realisation of the aspirations and hopes of our young people.’
‘We will ensure that agencies handling various empowerment programmes and entrepreneurial schemes engage with the youth and help them to realise their ambitions.’
Mr. Lawan noted that at all levels, particularly in the North; leaders should endeavor to give their full support to the youth so they can discover their true life ambitions for the good of all and for the good of the country.
He said, ‘The ball is now in our court as leaders, to ensure that we engage our youth for productive and positive development in the region.’
He emphasized by saying that, ‘We should be looking for ways and means of empowering them, giving them the right environment and jobs, participate in entrepreneurship; something that will keep them busy and make them have hope of actualizing their genuine aspirations.’
The main thrust of the meeting was the recent protests across the country. The Senate president urged the state governments in the region to create the necessary environment for the youth to be productively and positively engaged.
He commended the Northern youth for largely refusing to get involved in violent protests and looting as it occurred in some parts of the country.
He said, ‘I commend you for listening to the pleas not to take part in the violent protest as in many parts of the country.’
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He also commended the efforts of traditional leaders, religious clerics, and State government in ensuring serenity in different communities and localities. In this regard, he said, ‘This is an opportunity for me to commend state governors in the North for appealing to our youth not to join the protest, especially when it turned violent.’