Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has reiterated his commitment to youth development and inclusion in his government, seeking a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The Governor said the focus of every administration should be centered on the teeming youths, saying, it was part of the reason he decided to pay a visit to the ministry to find a way to partner, synergize, and collaborate to bring about the development of the youth in his state.
Governor Radda stated this on Tuesday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim in her office in Abuja.
Governor Radda pointed out that the focus of every administration should be on the youths, He identified the youths as a special focus of every administration.
He said it was important that he paid the visit to congratulate her on her well-deserved appointment and special assignment.
The governor said she deserved the appointment after her significant role during the presidential campaign and believed she can bring a lot of development to youths in the country.
He also pointed out that the larger population of the country is dominated by the youths. And that it was important that every administration in the country focus on the youths.
‘’I am very much aware of the fact that for us to develop as a nation we need to develop the youths. We need to draw out plans, initiatives and programmes that will have a bearing on the Nigeria youth. ‘’he said.
The governor said that it was important that the youths should be engaged, to have things to do and fully employed and also to drive the economy of the country.
He reflected on an experience during his campaign.
According to him: ‘’I went round 361 wards across my state during the election campaign and saw the time bomb awaiting this country.
if nothing drastic is done about youth development”.
He continued “You see most of them around and across the village in rural communities sitting down redundant. It has become a fertile ground for recruitment by bandits and other criminal elements”.
The Katsina Governor said “So for any government to succeed we must come out with robust programmes and initiatives for youth development, this is to enable us take them out of the streets and get them fully engaged ’’
According to the governor, Katsina as an agrarian state, most of its youth empowerment programmes are directed towards the agricultural development value chain and the state is also keying into ICT development.
He said there are lots of potentials for the youths to key in and develop their talents.
He revealed that it was part of the reason why he decided to come down to the ministry to find out the kind of programmes they have for youth development in the country and see where the state government can key into, collaborate, synergize and share knowledge and information to drive the development of youths together.
He wished the minister well in her appointment and expressed his belief that she was capable of delivering with the caliber of people around her. The governor identified civil servants as the bridge through which the government expressed their policies and programmes.
The governor said he looks forward to more collaboration and exchange of knowledge with the ministry and Katsina state
.
Responding, the Minister of Youth, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, welcomed the governor to the ministry and expressed her delight for the visit while identifying it as a significant day.
The minister said the ministry was enthusiastic to partner with Katsina state and hope to achieve sustainable programmes where the agricultural chain is respected with a valuable ecosystem.
She promised that a lot of transformation would be coming the way of Katsina state.
She congratulated Governor Radda on his election and equally testified to the good work the governor was doing across the state since his election.
‘’We have been following your activities in the state and we believe that Katsina state is one of the states we would like to partner with based on your laudable policies so far and dedication,’’ she said.
She identified cotton as a major commodity in the state which the ministry is looking to engage a large percentage of youths in cotton farming.
The minister further spoke on the need to create a unified nation where every tribe is not discriminated upon.
She emphasized on the need to see each other as brothers and sisters which would transform people seeing each other as business partners in the long run.
