Aminu Isa, a lecturer from Political Science Department of Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), has enjoined youths in Kogi State to play active part politics to effect positive change in the affairs of the state.
Mr Isa gave the charge during a seminar organized by the Kogi State chapter of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria, YAN held at the conference hall of Lokoja Local Government secretariat in Lokoja on Thursday.
Isa said the youths in the state have not been actively involved in formal decision making in political situations thereby denying them to choose among them to lead the affairs of the state.
He identified poverty, illiteracy and unemployment as major factors denying the youths attaining political positions in the state and country in general just as he charged them to break the barriers and force their ways in making positive political stands in their immediate environment.
“Lack of education, capacity and impatience are hurdles contravening youths in attaining political leadership, they don’t have direct impact in politics as you can see many of them don’t have voter’s card.
“They are under represented in the politics of the state, even those that are representing the youths in certain political positions do not fall into the official 18 to 35 years bracket of the youths, their active engagement in politics will help them individually, their political parties and their state in general,” he said.
The university don however noted that implementation of a multidimensional youth policies should be implemented to encourage youths shun all sorts of vices during electioneering process and play major roles in politics.
Earlier in a remark, Speaker of Kogi State Chapter of Youth Assembly of Nigeria, YAN, Honorable Hassan Mustapha said the YAN in Kogi State since their establishment last year has been directly involved in promotion of peace and unity in state and Nigeria.
Honorable Mustapha said YAN Kogi State has been organizing series of youth programs and campaigns against drug and substance abuse, charging them to shun cultism, political thuggery, and build them towards seeking a political positions from their ward levels to the national levels.
Highlights of the day was the inauguration of local council coordinator and ward coordinators of Youth Assembly of Nigeria in Lokoja LGA.
Barrister Bologi Mohammed emerged and was decorated as the coordinator of YAN for the Lokoja LGA.
