The Lagos State Government on Wednesday tasked the youth to key into the vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to mark the “International Youth Week Day” celebration.
Speaking to the youths at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja on this year’s theme: “Engaging Youth for Global Action”, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu stated that the celebration provides an opportunity to celebrate and appreciate young people’s actions and initiatives.
Noting that the theme for this year’s celebration seeks to show the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, Dawodu maintained that “when youths are engaged at the Community, Local or State levels, they develop the skills needed to be effective leaders and make outstanding impacts”.
He pointed out that Lagos State Government supports youths to boost their contributions to national development, hence the formulation and launching of the Lagos State Youth Policy, which is centred around youth development as well as the facilitation of the Child Right’s Law.
The Commissioner also stated that the Ministry has inaugurated the 4th Legislative Assembly of the Lagos State Youth Parliament and 6th Children Parliament as training platforms for inclusivity and participatory governance, just as it successfully organised the 3rd edition of the IBILE Youth Academy, which was designed to inculcate in the youth the flair for personal development and transformation required for a brighter future.
While expressing optimism that youths in Lagos will key into the vision of a “Greater Lagos” through the T.H.E.M.E.S Development Agenda, Dawodu said “I believe as we key into this vision and engage at the Local and State levels, we will be able to achieve global action on challenges currently facing humanity such as poverty, unemployment, COVID-19 outbreak, climate change, amongst others.”
Appreciating private, non-governmental and voluntary organisations for supporting the Ministry in Youth and Social Development, the Commissioner also applauded the Lagos State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria for the harmony between its new Executives towards redefining and bridging the gap in activities of the body.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Yetunde Falugba in her remarks urged the youths to be worthy ambassadors wherever they find themselves, noting that their contributions are important in the quest to achieve a “Greater Lagos”.
She, therefore, urged members of the youth council to participate fully in the activities that have been lined up by the Ministry in conjunction with other organisations.
The celebration was marked with the cutting of a commemorative cake to herald the International Youth Day, which is celebrated every 12th of August to draw the attention of governments and other stakeholders to issues affecting young people worldwide.
Present at the event were members of the National Youth Council (Lagos State Chapter), Lagos State Youth Parliament, Lagos State Youth Ambassadors and the Youth Leader of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress(APC).