The Coalition of Registered Youth Groups under the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development has commended the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde for what it described as sustained efforts toward youth inclusion, skills development, empowerment and participation in governance across the state.
The youth groups made the commendation during a live programme on Fresh FM on Thursday, anchored by Mayor Isaac Brown, where representatives of various youth organisations reviewed some of the administration’s interventions in youth development and called for the continuity of programmes they said had positively impacted young people across the state.
They also appealed for greater institutional support, particularly mobility assistance for registered youth organisations, to enable them to effectively mobilise young people, reach communities and contribute to grassroots development.
Speaking on the administration’s interventions, the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Eniola Alex, commended Governor Makinde for his investment in skills acquisition and empowerment programmes designed to equip young people with vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
Alex called for the expansion of such initiatives, particularly through increased training and empowerment opportunities for youths across the state.
He also appealed to the state government to consider recruiting more young people into ministries, departments and agencies where there are shortages of junior-level personnel, describing such a move as an opportunity to further integrate youths into the state’s workforce.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Female Youth Bodies, Comrade Oluchi Joy, commended the Makinde administration for what she described as increased inclusion of young women in governance, education and other areas of development.
She highlighted the Waste-to-Wealth programme implemented by the state government in partnership with the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development and Planet 3R, noting that the initiative had provided young women with skills in weaving, bag-making, school-bag production and the conversion of waste materials, including used sachet-water nylon, into useful products.
According to her, such initiatives have encouraged creativity, entrepreneurship and self-reliance among young women, stressing the need for their sustainability beyond 2027.
Oluchi also commended the inclusion of women in various appointments and government programmes, saying greater opportunities for young women would further strengthen their contribution to the state’s development.
Speaking on behalf of artisans, the Chairman of the PROTAAN Youth Wing, Comrade Dayo Adebisi, described the Makinde administration as one that, in his view, had demonstrated commitment to sustainable development and youth empowerment.
Adebisi commended the appointment of the Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, Hon. Adebowale Adebayo Falana, describing it as a development he believed had strengthened youth-focused programmes in the state.
He said the artisan community had benefited from various government interventions, including agricultural inputs and other forms of support, while expressing support for the continuation of youth-centred policies.
“In the Makinde administration, PROTAAN young farmers received thousands of fertilisers and other support during our annual events. Wherever Makinde goes, we follow,” Adebisi said.
Also speaking on youth development, the Coordinator of the Yoruba Youth Movement, Comrade Olalere Benedict, highlighted interventions in agriculture, digital skills and entrepreneurship.
Benedict said more than 1,000 youths had benefited from agricultural training and the YEAP-SAFER initiative, while about 140 youths had received training in tractor operations.
He also cited digital skills programmes through which, according to him, more than 3,000 young people in Oyo State had been trained in areas including digital marketing, web development, artificial intelligence, graphic design and Amazon Kindle Publishing.
“We want continuity of Omituntun 3.0 in Oyo State by placing Pacesetter youths first in all sectors of the economy, infrastructure and others,” Benedict said.
He further commended the state government’s interventions in agriculture, waste-to-wealth initiatives and digital skills development, describing them as efforts that had broadened opportunities for young people across the state.
On sports development, Benedict noted that the renovation and upgrading of sporting facilities had provided opportunities for young talents to develop their abilities, while also contributing to the renewed visibility of Shooting Stars Sports Club on the continental football scene.
He also commended the administration’s infrastructural development efforts, which he said had contributed to economic activities across the state.
Benedict stressed that youths in Oyo State were prepared to support policies that promote continuity, innovation and inclusive development, while reiterating the coalition’s request for mobility support to strengthen the operations of registered youth organisations at the grassroots.
On the entertainment industry, Comrade Damilola, a public relations practitioner, said the state government’s collaboration with the Agency for Youth Development and entertainment stakeholders had contributed to increased investment and opportunities in the creative sector.
He cited the large turnout recorded during Davido’s performance in Ibadan last year, saying the event provided an avenue for talent discovery and created economic opportunities for businesses within the hospitality and entertainment sectors.
Damilola disclosed that additional entertainment events featuring notable artistes were expected in Ibadan later in the year, including performances involving Fola and Olamide, saying such events could further boost patronage for hotels, vendors and other businesses.
He also called for the revitalisation of cultural centres across the state to provide platforms for young talents to develop and showcase their abilities.
In the same vein, the Chairman of the Association of Registered Youth Social Clubs (ARSOYOC), Comrade Farayola Nurudeen, commended the Makinde administration and the Agency for Youth Development for initiatives aimed at promoting peace, youth engagement and drug-abuse prevention.
Nurudeen said seminars, sensitisation programmes and youth-focused activities had helped raise awareness among young people on the dangers of substance abuse and the importance of building a drug-free society.
He added that the association, comprising 123 clusters, was calling for the revitalisation of skills acquisition centres in secondary schools across the state to expose young people to practical skills from an early age.
The youth leaders collectively reiterated their call for the sustenance of youth-oriented programmes and policies, saying continued investment in skills, entrepreneurship, agriculture, digital innovation, sports and the creative industry would further position young people as active contributors to Oyo State’s socio-economic development.
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