Minister tasks youths on peaceful co-existence

By Ene Osang

Abuja

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Selcap Dalung, has charged the nation’s youth on peaceful coexistence, saying sustainable development “cannot be achieved where there is no peace.”
Dalung made the call yesterday in his address at the opening ceremony of the third sitting/session of the Nigerian Youth Parliament held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
He directed the parliament to give adequate attention to the lingering crises bedevilling the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), regretting that youths had missed a lot of benefits due to their unending fights.
It would be recalled that the NYCN had been embroiled in leadership crises, with the various feuding camps leveraging on strong external influence.
“These external influences believed to be politicians are said to have held tenaciously to the leadership positions to the detriment of the overall well-being of the Nigerian youth.
“This is clearly rascality taken too far. We will not fold our hands and allow a few miscreants to hold in the balance the fortune of Nigerian youths. I charge you therefore to accord this matter the attention it deserves,’ he said.
He called on youths to work hard and support the federal government’s efforts to ensure peaceful coexistence of all irrespective of religion or tribe.
Responding, the Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Ayodele Obe, noted challenges facing the youth in the country, just as he assured that the third sitting is to deliberate on the youth policy document and proffer solutions to issues.
Meanwhile, a member representing Benue South constituency, Hon. Obenda Gideon Obenda, has regretted that the nation’s youth had not been given adequate attention and support to enable them to compete favourably with other youths around the world.

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