– Inaugurates 17-Member Technical Working Group
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its determination to eradicate youth restiveness, child marriage and other practices negatively affecting youth development in the State.
This was made known by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Pharm. (Mrs.) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu at the inauguration of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the review of the Lagos State Youth Policy today in Ikeja.
The Permanent Secretary said Lagos State with a population made up of 60 per cent youths could not afford to fold its hands and watch the potential in the segment being wasted by vices prevalent among the young ones.
Speaking further, Oke-Osanyintolu stated that the review of the Youth Policy was aimed at ensuring that the current document is in tandem with the present-day realities and broader implementation of youth development services.
She said the review process, being supported by Youth Alive Foundation (an NGO that is funded by USAID), would concentrate on Five-Pillars and other new concepts considering the peculiarities of the State.
According to her, the five strategic thrusts of the Youth Policy are a Productive Workforce and Sustainable Economic Engagement of Youth; Health and Health – Promoting Lifestyle; Participation, Inclusiveness and Equitable Opportunities for Youths; Promotive and Protective Environment for Youth Development, and Partnership Building and Effective Collaboration.
On his part, Programme Coordinator, Youth Alive Foundation, Nigeria, Mr. Chamberlain Efukudoh said that one of the objectives of the review was to strengthen social justice while ensuring that the review committee come up with an implementable document that addresses the needs of the young ones.
The 17-Member Technical Working Group, selected from Ministries, Agencies and Departments, Voluntary Youth Organisations, the National Youth Council of Nigeria and the Lagos State Youth Ambassadors, is saddled with the mandate and responsibilities to participate, organise and facilitate the holistic review of the Lagos State Youth Policy within a time frame of six months.
The last review of the Lagos State Youth Policy designed to operate for a period of five years was in October 2016.