Nigeria's ministry of youth development

I saw this article and i decided to give it to Nigerian youth, it was delivered by the minister himself,
1.1         INTRODUCTION

I am happy to address the nation today twelve months after my last address on the state of the Nigerian youth sector.

The period under review has been an eventful one in which a lot of landmark progress has been recorded. It is thus my honour and privilege to brief the nation again on how far the present administration has gone in turning the fortune of our young ones for the better.  

It is however worthy re stating that the Federal Ministry of Youth Development was established in February, 2007 with a mandate to promote the physical, mental and socio-economic development of Nigerian youth through the advancement and protection of their rights within the Nigerian state, the promotion of their welfare  and provision of opportunities for their self actualization and the introduction of policies and programmes entrenching such rights and responsibilities in all facets of public governance. The activities of the ministry are carried out by six departments namely Human Resources and Management, Finance and Accounts, Network and Social Mobilisation (NSM), Enterprise Promotion and Development (EDP); Education Youth Development (EDP); and Planning, Monitoring and Information Management (PMI).

1.2         VISION

To achieve those goals, the ministry`s vision is “To empower the Nigerian youth to become self reliant and socially responsible”

1.3         MISSION

Our Mission is “To provide a sustainable framework for integrated planning and collaboration among stakeholders for the development of policies and programmes, laws and other initiatives that promote and enhance the development of the Nigerian youth and the protection of their interests.

 

1.4         MANDATE

To achieve this mission, the ministry has the following mandate :

v  Formulate, monitor and review the National Youth Policy; 

v  Articulate relevant programmes of action for youth development; 

v  Design guidelines for youth development activities in the country; 

v  Coordinate and monitor youth development activities at the three levels of governments and the collaborating partners; 

v  Collaborate with all stakeholders for the funding of youth activities; 

v  Create opportunities for youth to be involved in decision making processes in matters that affect them, the environment and the society; 

v  Inculcate in the youth human right values, social justice, equity, fairness and gender equality; 

v  Promote conducive atmosphere for mental emotional and physical development of the youth; 

v  Provide adequate funding for the non formal training of the youth in life skills; 

v  Provide adequate funding for sustainable developmental projects in the youth sector. 

2.0     STATE OF THE YOUTH SECTOR

It is important to note that the sector is still faced by myriads of challenges which affect all segments of the nation`s youth population. Prior to the advent of the global economic crisis, Nigerian youth had faced such challenges as widespread joblessness, extreme disconnection from the mainstream of the society, misdemeanor verging on criminality, militancy, youth restiveness, increasing level of drug addiction and usage, general breakdown in moral values and norms, pervasive culture of get rich quick syndrome and a host of other negative dimensions.

As the administration was settling down to tackling the challenges, the international economic meltdown set in, affecting job creation efforts and expenditure on the social and other vital sectors of the economy. As rightly predicted by the International Labor Organization and other development partners, the global crisis worsens the plight of the youth especially in the developing economies where the youthful population were already facing challenges as enumerated earlier. Remittance from Diaspora population was negatively affected, thereby compounding economic challenges faced by many families. The quantum of fund available to government for many national priority projects was also on the decline even as the demands of the various sectors increased. The nation continues to produce graduates at an accelerated pace as more universities are licensed across the country.

In the face of such daunting challenges, the Nigerian youth sector retains her vibrancy with the Nigerian youth performing excellently well all over the world. In the field of sports, literature and sciences, our youths are securing medals and honors through their rare display of superlative creativity and talents. In various corners of the federation, our youths are contributing to nation building and national development as evidenced in the booming field of entertainment, literary creativity and other developmental achievements. There is no gainsaying, that in spite of all challenges, Nigerian youth remains the most vibrant, the most creative and the most development oriented in Sub Saharan Africa.

Our government is thus faced with a very innovative youth population who despite the vicissitudes of the times and lives, have risen to the demands of the time, making inroads where roadblocks are entrenched. The administration is thus challenged to tap into the dynamism of her youth to find comprehensive solutions to the youth question. My ministry indeed learnt early enough that the complexity of the youth question demands scientific approach in policy formulation as guess work can only complicate rather than assist in addressing the posers in the sector.

Hence, I am proud to announce that the ministry has generated a National Youth Development Index which is a result of a nationwide research into the status of Nigerian youths in relation to access to education, employment, health services, social affiliation and others. The plan is to ensure that progress in addressing the sectoral needs of the youth can be measured on tri-annual basis as is the practice in developed societies. Let me put on record that the outcome of the index has greatly assisted the administration is setting annual targets and goals in line with the provision of the New National Policy on Youth. It will also assist the citizenry to measure how successful the administration has been in the implementation of the youth policy. ..Watch out for my observation after i visited this ministry.