From Magnus Eze, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday admitted that many youths and others are angry and hungry as a result of the prevailing hardship.
This is even as Youths and Sports Minister, Mr. Solomon Dalung, said the youths, question are on government’s front burner.
Ministers in their separate remarks at a youth’s edition of the Federal Government’s Town Hall meeting for youths held in Abuja, appealed to the young at heart for patience and understanding, assuring that government was working assiduously to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.
Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the current hardship was not created by the present government, but the “government is unrelenting in its efforts to ease the hardship in the land, especially youth unemployment, brought about by years of poor or lack of planning, profligacy, mismanagement of funds, massive corruption and lack of investment in social investment programmes.”
He said government’s massive investment in social programmes will help accelerate job creation, especially for the youths, stressing that the administration placed serious premium on youth empowerment, youth development and youth engagement, hence, the decision to organise this edition of the Town Hall meeting specifically for them.
“We have no choice because, according to the National Population Commission, more than half of Nigeria’s population are under 30 years of age! No government can afford to ignore this important demographic group, the youths are no longer just the leaders of tomorrow, but today’s leaders too!’’ he said.
His Power, Works and Housing counterpart, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), said the steady and progressive growth being recorded by the government would bring the country out of the woods.
He noted that the massive investment in infrastructure development in power, roads, bridges and housing would have multiplier effect on the economy.
Mr. Dalung came under severe attacks by the youths, who accused him of neglecting them. They also urged him to stop further embarrassment of the country before the global community as witnessed recently in the shabby treatment of the Super Falcons.
Responding to questions directed at him, Dalung said: “I think the youth question has been on the front burner of this administration. One of the young people said Nigerians are hungry and that’s the truth. Nigerians are hungry and we in government know that Nigerians are hungry and we will work and ensure that Nigerians will no more be hungry.
“One of the questions has to do with that national embarrassment we had in sports, it’s just unfortunate that we have to go through that situation, but I think the assurance I will give Nigeria is that we learn from our mistakes and we will definitely have to institute and take steps to ensure that things that will always subject our national image to embarrassment will be avoided.”
Other ministers who gave accounts of their stewardship were Chief Audu Ogbeh (Agriculture), Mrs. Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Senator Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment) and Budget and National Planning (Senator Udoma Udo-Udoma).