Sallah: Taraba commissioner charges youth on peace, self reliance

Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo

Imam, a former Minority leader in the state house of Assembly, who made the call on Friday as part of his Sallah message to the youth said that the state government was already working round the clock to make sure that youth in the state are gainfully engaged.

He noted with concern the rise in criminal activities across the state occasioned by kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry amongst others and regretted that in most cases, youth are the ones at the forefront perpetrating these evils.

Imam called on the youth to invest their time and energy in exploring the enormous potentials in agriculture with the support of the state government and to key into skills acquisition programs of the government so that they can be gainfully engaged.

He further assured that sporting activities in the state will pick up fully again as soon as the situation with the global COVID-19 pandemic was over with great support coming from the Federal government and other sources.

“As we mark this year’s Sallah, let me use this opportunity to call on youth in the state especially, to shun violence and criminality and take advantage of the numerous opportunities that this government has put in place.

“Already, there are several skills acquisition programs going on and the state government is making commercial  farming a reality with ease through the provision of improved seedlings and other inputs. I, therefore, urge our youth to invest their energy and time in these skills acquisition programs and the potentials in agriculture so that they can become gainfully engaged.

“Violence and criminality is becoming increasingly unfashionable and our youth must begin to embrace evolving opportunities in areas that give them dignity and pride. This state is richly blessed and we have no reason having so many idle hands readily available to indulge in all kinds of criminal activities and violence” he said.