Nigerian Youth Peace Project (NYPP) a youth group, has called on youths in the country to participate in politics and contribute their quarter in the political, economic and social development of the country.
Com. Felix Ngutswen, the National Coordinator of the group made the call in a press statement issued to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, to commemorate the International Youth Day Celebration with the theme titled “Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.”
The International Youth Day is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.
Ngutswen said youths should strive to be at the centre point and play meaningful roles in the nation’s economic and political sectors and stop criticising and blaming the government for everything.
According to him, for Nigeria to actualise her objectives, the government at all levels should also include youths in the governance of the country for the development of democracy.
“Great Nigerian Youth, decades ago the British gave birth to the single geo-political entity called Nigeria, which has become our home, our hope and our heritage.
“Nigeria has continued to face pressing problems and threats, insecurity and economic meltdown are the key issues that affect our nation on daily basis.
Youth are the greatest assets that any country will pray to have. Today as we march the streets of our nation for celebration, we should remember that the world looks to us as leaders.
“To provide hope in the midst of crisis, to provide guidance through difficult social economic and political divisions and to ensure that we live in peace with one another.
“We have obligation to the present generation but we do have a greater obligation to the generations yet unborn who should one day inherit a Nigeria of sufficiency irrespective of the circumstances of their religion or ethnicity,” he said.
He also cautioned the youths against social vices but rather champion the virtues of hard work, integrity, honesty, pursuit of knowledge and the quest for innovation and pathfinding.
He advised youths to utilise keys such as demographic advantage, space domination, creativity and innovation, effective networking and continuous learning to effect the needed change in nation-building.
The coordinator explained that the success of the country depended on the full participation and engagement of youths in the planning, implementation and monitoring of policies.
“As leaders, we must strive to pursue peace and make sure Nigeria is a peaceful nation where everyone will be proud to be.
“I charge all of you to join politics and contribute your quota to the political, economic and social development of this nation, I commend all the great Nigerian youth who are doing great in entrepreneur and other areas of human development, it’s a sign that someday we may be bigger than China in terms of trade.
“I urge all us to be peaceful ambassadors of this country, let us build a great country of our dreams out Nigeria, together we can.
“I wish to call on the Nigerian Government to step up her efforts in addressing the security challenges that are affecting us as a nation, they should also create jobs opportunities for our teeming youth who are ready to serve.
More importantly, Government should play a key role in uniting us than dividing us.
“As we march on, it’s my hope that Nigeria will no longer be an extra-ordinary story but an accepted reality of a democratic nation that every child can pursue his or her dreams no matter where he or she comes from.
“Finally, we have been brought together in a union of purpose, our nation has evolved from regions to state and I believe together we shall conquer like other powerful nations of the earth. (NAN)