ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called on the federal government to support and empower youth-led social enterprises and entrepreneurs in improving the lives of vulnerable communities and building back better.
The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi noted this in commemoration of the International Youth Day with theme ; “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health” held in Abuja on Friday .
She said the Government need to promote active youth involvement in agriculture for national food security, social development and job security.
She said there is the need to also create systems and structures that support youth-led activities by ensuring an enabling environment that is supportive of optimum development of youth and provision of social enterprises that pushes innovations to increase access to services for young people through Information Technology.
She said as the country evolve into the “new normal “, young leaders , social change agents and innovators will need all the support they can get to build back better and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She said there is the need for the Government to recognize and promote active youth engagement in National food security, social development, job security and to provide Nigerian youths with equal opportunities to realize their dreams and ambition irrespective of their background .
She explained that the theme International Youth Day 2021, highlights most of the challenges humanity currently faces , such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change among others which require concerted global action.
She said participation of young people in the climate discussion has already been recognized as an important element of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for some time .
“This is because, climate change negatively effects, livelihood, health and other socio-economic aspect of young people on the life in their own context and shaping their future ,”she said .
Also, the National President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria , Solomon Adodo said this year’s theme, offers the opportunity for Nigeria as a nation to move into the frontline through Agriculture, Innovation and Technology etc.
He said one of the major challenges facing the youth is unemployment adding that it calls for action by the Government to raise and begin to build a new Nigeria .
He said young people are making changes across the world and Nigeria should not be an exception .
