#KogiDecides
#TheKogiWeWant
In line with the increasing youth political consciousness and the desire for equitable and sustainable development. Youth groups across the 21 LGA in kogi State came together to form a document (TheKogiWeWant) embodying the most salient issue affecting the youths in kogi State and how to address them. It is expected that whoever emerged as the state Governor will have to inculcate this into his policies as way of addressing youth concerns. And our organization will create a means of monitoring it’s implementation.
#TheKogiWeWant
ADDRESSING UNEMPLOYMENT
The negative effects of youths unemployment in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. It is a major cause of youth restiveness, insurgency and it’s also responsible for the increasing rate of cyber crime in the country.
One of the major issues affecting the youths of Kogi State is unemployment. Kogi State is blessed with young intellectuals whom after several years of hard study cannot get a gainful employment.
In order to tackle unemployment in the state, we demand a government that would focus on;
1: DIVERSIFICATION OF THE ECONOMY OF KOGI STATE.
There is need to diversify the economy of the State to create more jobs and employment opportunities for young people in the state. (formal and informal)
We demand a coherent and sustainable economic development plan that guarantees the development of other sectors like agriculture, solid minerals, tourism etc. The plan must lay more emphasis on over reliance on federal allocation because subvention is not sustainable. It must be emphasized that the improving social infrastructures like roads and power are essential for job creation and poverty reduction.
2: IMPROVE INDUSTRIALIZATION:
Government should develop an industrialization policy that encourages local production and exploration of minerals in the state. Such a policy must mainstream a local content provision that ensures 60% of personnel are recruited from indigenes of the State. State government should ensure strategic partnership with the federal government on revitalizing the Ajaokuta steel company, Itape iron ore, Jakura Marble which all have the capacity to absorb a large chunk of unemployed youths in kogi State (skilled and unskilled).
3: INNOVATION FUND
Special funds that promotes innovation, entrepreneurship and local business should be established. The fund should be accessible to young people at the local level with innovative ideas and business proposals. The fund should be accessible to all Kogi youths as seed funds or grants for business start-ups and existing business concerns. A board of eminent and youth organizations should administer the fund.
4: SKILL ACQUISITION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING.
We need a government that would ensure the mainstreaming of skill acquisition and vocational training into the education curricula of secondary and tertiary institutions in the state. Entrepreneurship studies should be made compulsory in our educational institutions.
5: CREATION OF BUSINESS PARKS OR INDUSTRIAL HUBS.
Government should set up business parks, technology hubs or innovation centers across the 3 Senatorial Districts of the State. The parks can be capacity development hubs for young entrepreneurs and a platform for promoting business ideas and innovation.
INCREASING YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING
Youths should be involved in discussing matters that affects them, they should be allowed to take active part in decision-making and implementation through…
1: The development and implementation of a kogi youth policy to structure and streamline youth development in the state. The development process of the policy must be driven by the youths through established credible and non-partisan platforms.
2: All appointive or elective youth portfolio must be occupied by young people between the ages of 18 – 35, which is the official national youth age bracket as stipulated in the National Youth Policy.
Capacity, gender, competence and integrity should be considered in appointing an individual to occupy a youth portfolio. This includes but not limited to Commissioner of Youth and special adviser on youth related affairs.
3: All boards of public institutions and committees set up by government must have representation of youth, women and persons with disabilities. This will ensure adequate consultation with youths in the formulation and implementation of any policy.
4: Government, through the state assembly should pass the bill to institutionalize the Kogi Youth Parliament and Kogi Youth council as the umbrella platforms for driving youth development in the state. The bill must guarantee the independence in leadership and policy formulation as it affects the youths.
5: Political parties must ensure that the cost of party nomination forms is reduced to encourage young aspirants contest for political offices. Parties should also ensure internal party democracy in all their policies and programs.
A government that craves sustainable development must involve the youths in the process that lead to such development. Kogi youths don’t only want to be involved, we want to be actively involved in decision-making and implementation.
EDUCATION
There no doubt that education is the bedrock of every society. A society that doesn’t take education as a topmost priority will find it hard to confront modern challenges of development.
Therefore, WE THE YOUTHS OF KOGI STATE DEMAND THE FOLLOWING.
1. Adequate funding for the education sector in Kogi State. Government should demonstrate it’s commitment to providing quality and affordable education for Kogi electorates. We demand that 30% of the State budget should be earmarked for education.
2. In line with Universal Basic Education Act improve access to quality and affordable education. Primary and secondary school education.
3. Improve access to tertiary education by reducing the tuition fees for all indigenes and non-indigenes in the state education institutions.
4. Improving the physical infrastructures in all tertiary institutions in the state. Hostels, laboratories should be adequately equipped to create a conducive learning environment for students.
5. Government should invest in providing scholarship awards to students who excel in academic work. The bursary payment awarded by government through the scholarship board should be increased to #15,000 per student. Adequate research grants should be provided to lecturers to improve scholarship in kogi State.
6. There is need to review the education curriculum of the State. Such review should mainstream technological education, vocational and entrepreneurial studies. This will equip Kogi youths with skills relevant for the labor market.
This is the #KogiWeWant
– Umar Dan’Asabe Muhammed
