National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, has called for the creation of dedicated youth desks in government agencies to promote meaningful youth participation in decision-making.
Its treasurer,Mr Ibrahim Ogunbamwo, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday, while reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast.
He commended the President for highlighting jobs, enterprise, industrial growth, digital connectivity and skills development in his Independence Day address.
Ogunbamwo urged governments and the private sector to move beyond policy pronouncements by creating practical opportunities that would enable young Nigerians to become employers and producers.
He said Nigeria needed to deliberately build an entrepreneurship-driven society where youths could develop businesses, create jobs and contribute to national productivity.
“Government should create an enabling environment where young people can establish and grow businesses instead of making everyone depend on the search for white-collar employment,” he said.
The NYCN official said the President’s emphasis on productive work and enterprise should translate into accessible funding, infrastructure, skills acquisition and technology for young entrepreneurs.
He called for youth desks in ministries, departments, agencies and private organisations to serve as structured channels for identifying, developing and addressing issues affecting young people.
“Such desks should not be ceremonial offices; they should have the mandate to develop youth-focused programmes, receive proposals and ensure that young people are represented where decisions affecting them are taken,” Ogunbamwo said.
He also advocated greater involvement of qualified young people in government appointments and leadership positions designated for youths.
According to him, positions created specifically to address youth development should be occupied by competent youths who understand the challenges and aspirations of their generation.
“You cannot effectively formulate youth policies without giving young people a meaningful role in the process and implementation,” he said.
Ogunbamwo urged the government to promote a productive economy in which Nigerians can increasingly manufacture, farm, innovate and provide services rather than depend excessively on imported goods.
He said the President’s call for more Nigerians to make things and for Nigerian businesses to sell their products globally was important to reducing unemployment and strengthening the economy.
“Every young person who is empowered to produce, innovate or employ others is contributing to the economic strength of Nigeria,” he said.
The NYCN treasurer commended the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) initiative, saying affordable access to tertiary education would help reduce financial barriers that force some young Nigerians to abandon their studies.
He urged the government to sustain and expand student financing while ensuring that beneficiaries receive adequate support to complete their education and acquire relevant skills.
Ogunbamwo also called for stronger collaboration between educational institutions, government and industry to ensure that graduates acquire skills that correspond with emerging opportunities in the labour market.
He said the President’s reference to digital connectivity, skills development and enterprise support should be accompanied by investments that would enable young Nigerians to compete in the digital and global economy.
“The future of Nigeria cannot be built by government alone; young people must be equipped, included and given the opportunity to contribute meaningfully,” he said.
He said the success of policies targeted at youths should ultimately be measured by the number of sustainable businesses created, productive jobs generated, innovations supported and young Nigerians lifted into economic independence.
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