Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has expressed readiness to review and domesticate the present administration policy on youth development, employment generation and involvement security matters including the newly introduced community policing in the state.
The State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Daniel Igali who disclosed this after a meeting with former Youths Ministry Commissioners, Hon. Udengs Eradiri and Hon. Ebipadei Apaingolo and their former Sports counterpart Hon. Perekiye Buruboyefe, said the new policy direction will focus on new partnership with stakeholders in the formal and informal sectors to ensure adherence to the Governor Douye Diri administration’s policy which bothers on prosperity, peace and security of lives and properties in the state.
According to him the new youths and sports policies respectively will be reviewed and sent to the State House of Assembly for legal backing by law.
He explained that the domestication of the Youths and Sports policies of the State will promote increased participation of youths in state development and eradicate issues of noticeable involvement of youths in crime and criminality.
Igali also announced that the Youths Ministry willbe fully involve in the ongoing inauguration of community policing in the eight local Government areas of the State and promised to engage in new partnership with the heads of security agencies in the state to stem tide of violent crime with full participation of youths.
He stated that the misconception that most youths in Bayelsa are violent and are involved in violent crimes is wrong.
” Over 95 per cent of youths in the state engage in positive and productive ventures that are begging for support and sponsorship. But the delinquent youths would be prevailed upon to turn new leaf and join in the journey of the present administration for prosperity.”
On the poor standing of the state owned football team, Bayelsa United, on the Nigeria Premier league table, Igali assured sports enthusiasts in the state of the readiness of governor Diri to ensure that the team gets maximum state government support and gain promotion during the football season.
Eradiri who responded on behalf of the former commissioners commended the vision of the present administration in the state towards ensuring wide and accessible participation for the youths in the state.