A socio-cultural group from the southern part of Nigeria, Southern Nigeria Youth Assembly (SNYA), has applauded the communique issued at the end of the meeting of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ forum. The group, which is the umbrella body of all the various Youth groups in southern Nigeria, said that the communique is the best thing that has emanated from their Governors’ forum.
In a press statement, released to the media on Wednesday evening, signed by its President; Engr. Moses Njoku and the National Publicity Secretary cum the Spokesperson of the group; Rt. Hon. Rikki Nwajiofor, the group pledged their unreserved support in ensuring that the decisions contained in the communique are implemented to the latter. The statement reads thus;
“On behalf of the entire Youth of Southern Nigeria, the Southern Nigeria Youth Assembly (SNYA) wishes to register our satisfaction with the outcome of the recently concluded meeting of all the Governors of Southern Nigeria, held in Delta state, on the 11th of May 2021.
“The Communique, issued after the meeting of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ forum, captured almost all the agitations of the Southern Nigeria Youth Assembly.
“The salient points in the communique include; reaffirmation of the undiluted commitment of Southern Nigerians in building a unified Nigeria founded on equity and fairness, official ban on open grazing in all the Southern Nigerian states, a patriotic call for restructuring with focal point on establishment of state police and entrenchment of true federalism, the urgent need for national dialogue, the clarion call to tackle the hydra-headed monster of insecurity bedeviling the nation. This is the best that have emanated from the stable of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ forum and it is quite commendable.
“We are requesting the Southern Nigeria Governors’ forum to ensure that this communique does not end up as a mere paper work, like every other conventional political statements, geared towards dousing the tensions engineered by the agitations of the Youths of Southern Nigeria. It will be a thing of shame if the Governors go home to relax in their oasis, after issuing this wonderful communique, without ensuring that every aspect of this communique is implemented to the latter.
“We assure the Southern Nigeria Governors’ forum of our unalloyed support and collaboration in ensuring that the aim of this communique comes to fruition. We are ready to go extra mile in making sure that this communique does not end up as a mere paper work, especially as it concerns the ban on open grazing, restructuring and building of a united Nigeria founded on equity and fairness.”
The Youth group equally beckoned on their Governors to embark, massively, on Youth empowerment as it will curb the rising rate of crime in the region. While praising the Governors that have given juicy appointments to the Youths in their states, the group called on the rest of the Governors to accommodate the Youths of their states in politics so as to give them sense of belonging. According to the statement, lack of sense of belonging orchestrates criminal acts among the Youths. The remaining part of the statement reads;
“We wish to use this medium to call on Southern Nigeria Governors’ forum to beam their torch towards Youth empowerment as it is the surest way of curbing crimes. An idle mind, they say, is the devil’s workshop. Suffice it to say that, if the Youths are meaningfully and gainfully engaged, they will have no time to delve into crimes and misdemeanours. Most of the crimes are orchestrated as a result of idleness and the lack of sense of belonging.
“Our Youths yearn to be carried along in the formation and execution of policies that govern us; we crave to be accommodated in the political terrain of this nation and not be elbowed out by the exorbitant nature of politics, created by the current crops of politicians. When the Youths feel that they have been sidelined and are not given sense of belonging, they tend to indulge in criminal activities as a way of “revenge” to the society that has “financially ostracized” them.
“We applaud some Governors that have been consistent in Youth empowerment and those that have given juicy appointments to the Youths of their states. We call on the other Governors to borrow a leaf from them and get their Youths gainfully engaged.
“Once again, we assure you of our unequivocal support in making Southern Nigerian states a hallmark of development, peaceful co-existence and a region devoid of any form of insecurity.”
