The African Union, Economic, Social and Cultural (AU ECOSOCC) and the African Caribbean Pacific Diaspora Youth Support Services (ACP-DYSS) have flagged off Nigeria Youth Can (NYC) project that would promote youth involvement in Governance, Leadership and Development.
Speaking at the flag off ceremony, the Nigerian Representative and the Chairperson, AU ECOSOCC, Dr. Tunji Asaolu who was represented by Mr Prince Oddy Nwaubani, said the project would engage and sensitise youth towards the forthcoming Nigerian elections and look at their role in promoting sustainable governance, peace and demanding sustainable policy implementation.
He said the programme is designed to achieve AU Agenda 2063.
The Secretary General, ACP-DYSS – Brussels, Mr. Innocent Ufomba, said the objectives of the project include, sensitising Nigeria youth on the state of the nation, the threat posed to the current state of the nation, “what can be the outcome of this threat to the nation going forward as well as the state mind of the youth, what are they doing and what is expected of the youth to do.
He said the project will also set a political ideology that will that would prepare Nigeria youth appropriately for leadership, adding that the project is not about 2019 but a long term plan that stand as a platform for youth leadership development.
He said the outcome of the dialogue will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities to help shape policy formulation.
During the dialogue, participants called for political, economic and educational restructuring, saying until that is done the issues of youth empowerment will not come to fruition.
Stakeholders at the forum called for unity amongst youths and proper sensitisation of other youths on character change, while also calling for constitutional amendment to allow Nigerian youth participate in the political space.
“We will be setting up also as a pressure groups that the government would listen to. And if we are talking about youth participation in politics, we must call for the amendment of the constitution to allow the youth to run. Nigerian youth must leave their comfort zone to participate in politics because to take power Nigerians youth must come together as one.
“This is an ideology that will gaminat and grow. This is an honest course,” the participants agreed.