Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has reiterated his commitment to building a productive nation anchored on youths development, saying that their youthful energy, skills and potentials were critical ingredients needed to move the nation from consumption to production.
He stated this in his International Youth Day Message, saying the dream of rescuing the country from leadership failure would not come to fruition without the help of youths whose future, he said, was being damaged by bad governance in the country.
“Everywhere you go in the world, the youths have always championed paradigm shifts in society. The political awakening you notice among Nigerian youths today signifies the hunger and desire in them for a better nation that represents their interests,” Obi said.
He lamented the myriad challenges facing Nigerian youths, as exemplified by high rate of youth unemployment; little or no access to funding for small businesses; lack of good education, as testified to by the incessant industrial actions that have enveloped Nigeria’s public universities, among others, as factors militating against the success of the youths.
He argued that such neglect of youth development is currently contributing to the nation’s woes by way of rising insecurity and violence, very unproductive workforce and unmatched level of drug abuse which is currently prevalent in the country. He expressed hope in the new Nigeria where people’s talents and skills will match their opportunities in life.
“I have always maintained that the society we abuse today will take its revenge on us tomorrow. One cannot expect peace and progress in a nation where more than half of the large youth population do not know where their next meal will come from. Our students have been at home for over five months due to ASUU Strike. That is not the kind of future we want to build for our young people,” Obi said.