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Nasarawa Governor, Engineer Sule with his deputy, Dr. Akabe, right
By Anthony Maliki
As youths across the country celebrate the National Youth Day, Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has called on youths in the state to avoid shortcuts to riches but to be sincere, committed and hard working.
Engineer Sule made the call when he met with leaders of various youth groups from across the state, at the Government House, on Tuesday.
This is just as various youth organisations in the state, endorsed the second term bid of Engineer Sule and his Deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
While urging the youths to remain forbearing, even in the midst of their difficulties, the Governor urged then to shun shortcuts to riches but to remain committed, sincere and hard working.
He congratulated the youths for the celebration but however indulged them to take home the messages intended for the national youth day as envisioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Engineer Sule said one of the visions of the President for setting azide a day to celebrate youths in the country, was for the youths to be ambassadors of peace and not to allow themselves to be used by unpatriotic elements to destabilize the country.
He pointed out, in Nasarawa State, the youth is not be seen as only the leader of tomorrow but leaders of todayaa, stressing that, that explains why his administration has identified capable youths and saddled them with various responsibilities in government.
“I believe our youths should not even be the leaders of tomorrow, they should be leaders of today. That is the reason why we selected a lot of members of the youth community and assign them big responsibilities,” he stated.
The Governor added that, his vision for youths in the state is for them to be resourceful, honest, committed, dedicated and hard working.
He emphasized that his administration embarked on several skills acquisition programmes in order to empower the youths towards becoming self-reliant.
“I want you to learn from the message of the national youth day celebration. Part of which, is for our youths to be honest, to be committed, dedicated and hard working. Not people who live on peanuts from others. You should be able to think and have foresight to be able to move ahead,” he said.
Engjneer Sule used the opportunity to highlight on some of the policy thrusts of his administration aimed at improving the lots of the youths in the state.
He particularly mentioned the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technical Institute, were there is an ongoing programme to train 2000 youths from across the state, as well as the N500m revolving loan in collaboration with the Bank of Industry, where youths in the state will be provided with soft loans to embark on profitable business.
He disclosed that, youths from the state can access the revolving loan from.the BOI, irrespective of their background, religious or political inclination.
“We don’t need anybody to access the loans, the first qualification is to be an Indigene of Nasarawa State, irrespective of your political or religious inclination. When it comes to politics, we will play politics but when it comes to empowerment we don’t care where you come from,” the Governor said.
Engjneer Sule expressed appreciation that, in its pilot training programme, where 70 youths are currently undergoing a 3-month intensive, hands-on training, the trainees are mostly graduates of non technical courses who will will conditioned to become engineers.
“It’s not take off grant the youths need but the skills. No matter how much take-off grant you give, if they don’t have the skills to deliver.
“Alhaji Aliko Dangote started his business with N200, 000. Today, he is the richest man in Africa. There are a lot who started around the same time with him, with over N3m from the same family. Today, they work for him.
“It depends on the skills you have, it depends on the effort you put into it. It’s because of the fear of God you have at the beginning,” the Governor told the youths.
On the endorsement by the youths from across the state, Engjneer Sule described it as type of endorsement he preferred, with his going out to seek dor it or even bribe someone to endorse him.
He said his administration prefers to just to work and allow the people to decide.
The Governor said however that the endorsement from the youth means a lot because the youths are the main drivers of politics.
” It’s an endorsement that means so much to us. Because the youths are the ones driving politics and that is the kind of endorsement I prefer.
“We didn’t go out to seek for it, we didn’t write to seek for you to endorse us, we didn’t beg anyone to endorse us, we just want to do our work and allow you. It’s the type of endorsement that we prefer to have and we are lucky to have,” he stated.
Earlier, Comrade Jaafar Muhammad Loko, Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), led other youth organisations in the state, to publicly endorsed Engineer Sule and his Deputy for another term in office.
While acknowledging the efforts of the administration towards integrating youths into the activities of his administration, Comrade Loko said it is time for youths in the state to reciprocate the gesture by endorsing the Governor for a second term.
“We have agreed during out townhall meeting in Abacha Youth Centre, during our interactive session and we have resolved, concensiously agree, we want to throw our weight behind your reelection come 2023,” Loko said.
Thereafter, the NYCN chairman moved a motion for the endorsement of Engineer Sule, which was resounding supported by the youths.
Comrade Loko however assured that the youths have also agreed to commit themselves in their respective local government areas, wards and polling units, in order to translate their endorsement into electoral victory come 2023.
Comrade Loko equally used the opportunity to highlight some of the interventions by the administration which have impacted on the lives of the youths in the state, to include regularization of appointment of 2,250 engaged teachers, replacement of 490 teachers to enhance the educational sector, as well as recruitment of over 1000 teachers between 2021 and 2022.
Others are, approval for the recruitment of staff at the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technical Institute, recruitment of staffs across all state-owned tertiary institutions, signing of MoU for the N500m revolving loan fund with the BOI and the disbursement of bursaries to over 8000 students.
“Also worthy of mention is the appointment of young persons into different positions in the state, especially as Chief Executives who are making marks at the NaEPA, NASIDA, SDGs, among others too numerous to mention,” he stated.
The youths were led to the meeting with Engineer Sule by the Commissioner of Youth and Sports, Amb. Lucky Isaac Yargwa, as well as the Senior Special Assistant on Youths, Comrade Shuaibu Sani.
