National Youth Day: Create Job Opportunities For The Youth, Kalejaiye Urges FG, States

Mojisola Lawal

Traditional head of Otumara community in the Lagos Mainland Local Government of Lagos State, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye has urged both the Federal and State governments to create job opportunities and an atmosphere that support grow and positive development for the teeming youth population of the country.

The insecurity and other challenges confronting the country, Kalejaiye noted would be half solved if the country’s active population are gainfully employed and positively engaged.
While speaking during this year’s National Youth Day celebration on Monday, he urged government at all levels to invest more in agriculture as he said huge opportunities could be created for young people including graduates.

He stated, “The youth of the country are major factor in building a greater and sustainable nation but it is unfortunate that these potentials are wasting away due to bad government policies and leadership which has failed to utilise our youths for positive development.

But hope is not lost as there are rooms for improvement if government at all levels are ready to do the needful by creating an atmosphere that supports positive growth.

Our youths are losing confidence in the leadership and government of the country and this is why many of them are seeking alternative means of survival in crimes and other social vices.

The earlier the Federal and State governments wake up to their responsibilities the better for the country as a whole. It is time they channel bulk of the country’s annual budget to wealth creation, health and education. It is not enough for tertiaries institutions to be turning out graduates every year, what they do after graduation is of utmost importance. Many of them end up being idle years after graduation while some take up Okada riding business.

It is not ideal for an unemployed youth to fall sick and not be able to afford treatment for his illness in a country like ours with abundant human and natural resources.
The country’s active youth population should be a blessing and not a curse. Nigerian youth are industrious and intelligent. It is now left for the government to avail them the needed environment to thrive. They need to be supported to be able to contribute their quota to the development of their fatherland.”

While commending Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his implementation of youth-friendly programmes, he stated that more still need to be done in the area of wealth and employment.

He said, “In over two years of his administration, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has embarked on various life changing programmes targeted at the youths but considering the increasing youth population and inflow of people from other states to Lagos State, more need to be done to create opportunities for visitors in the State.

If these people are not adequately catered for, they will end up being the menace the state will be spending huge resources on to curb.
On one hand, through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and the State Ministry of Wealth Creation, the Lagos State government is supporting young people with entrepreneurship skills to establish and nurture their businesses but not many of them are able to sustain these businesses consequent to staggered economy and inflation which has forced many of them out of business.

I am imploring the Lagos State government and the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs Yetunde Arobieke, to place special emphasis on job and wealth creation and also allows for ideas from well-meaning individuals from the state to developing youths living in the state.

As the country celebrates her youth today, I implore government at all levels to prioritise the needs of the country’s youth as they are not only the future of the country, they are the fulcrum on which economic growth and prosperity of the country lies. If the youths are at peace within themselves, the country will be peaceful and if otherwise, the consequence of this would be disastrous for the country to bear.”

Kalejaiye also urged the teeming youthful population to renew their commitment to nation building despite the economic challenges, saying “Nigeria will get to the promised land if the youth utilise their skills and potentials significantly for nation building.”

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