INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY AND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENTS IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT- IMO AS A CASE STUDY
The UN runs the International Youth Day, which focuses on young people and their place in society. It’s not just to protect them, but to include them in the development of communities around the world, whether be they rich or poor.
Among the focal areas for youth development and protection with this UN initiative are education, employment, the environment, delinquency, girls and young women, HIV/AIDS and intergenerational relations. These were officially decided upon in 1995, the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Youth.
The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE) acknowledges that the International Youth Day is an initiative that celebrates the qualities of young people and that recognises the challenges that today’s youth can face.
International Youth Day began in 2000 and was organised by the United Nations to celebrate the contribution that young people make in education, employment, conflict resolution and social justice to name a few.
Each year, on August 12, the International Youth Day is commemorated with a call to action for the youth.
Governments are therefore expected to key into the activities and programs of the UN for the youth, with a view to establishing a framework for the development and implementation of these programs.
In Imo state, Gov. Hope Uzodinma, in 2022, launched the ‘Skill-up Imo Project’ organized by the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government and targeted at training more than 100,000 Imo youths in digital skills on entry and advance levels, to enlighten the youths on the need to imbibe digital skills as the future economy goes digital.
He expressed his interest in youth development to catalyse future development of the state asserting that “when you develop and prepare the youths you have developed the state and if you jettison the youths then you have jettisoned the state.”
His words: “It is for the development of the youths, the development of their lives, the lives of their families and that of the State in general. When the State achieves this laudable programme Imo will be peaceful and the youths of Imo State will come up to be role models in Nigeria and Africa in general.
“ There is no government infrastructure that is as important as development of the youths.”
He added that his government was already working with international brands such as Apple, Zinox and others to get the graduate youths engaged on the acquired skills.
Recall too that in the buildup to the last governorship election, Gov. Uzodinma promised to provide jobs for 4,000 Imo youths in Europe.
In line with the UN agenda for the International Youth Day, one begins to wonder the level of implementation of these programs and promises, especially as Nigeria faces harsh economic realities and civil protests with their attendant demands and consequences for the youth.
While many youths in Imo state benefited from this skill acquisition program, their integration into the society through job creation has remained a cause for concern, with many a youth resorting to self help and others lying desolate.
CSAAE therefore calls on the Imo state government and governments at all levels to match words with actions and really make youth welfare a priority, in line with the UN agenda and in fulfillment of its promises.
This has become increasingly necessary, as lip service to the plight of young persons can no longer sustain the Nigerian people whose quest for good leadership and an equitable society has become saturated with less hope and near despair.
