The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), recently held a meeting with politicians in Lagos State ahead 2023 election. It was organised by coordinators in Ikorodu Division and hosted by Ikorodu West.
At the meeting, youths vying for various political offices under different political parties were given the chance to reel out their manifestoes and what they would do differently for youth development if elected.
Issues ranging from unemployment, right of persons with disabilities (PWDs), security, quality health care services and cultism were also discussed.
Chairman, NYCN coordinators, Ikorodu Division, Odusanya Abdullateef, said the meeting was to exchange ideas and mobilisation of youths for positive change: “It also provided the opportunity for the youths to table their demands before the people that matter.”
The secretary, Asoro Abubakri Olatunji, said:
“It has become more than necessary to begin to give youths a sense of belonging in all areas of governance.”
In a statement at the end of the meeting, the youths commended some political parties that considered the reduction of prices of their nomination forms for young political aspirants.
It called for deliberate policies to be put in place by political parties to ensure an easy ride for youth aspirants at the primaries.
The youths agitated for the rights of persons with disabilities, asked for deliberate policies to make them feel equal among other persons in the society.
They urged government to station interpreters at public health facilities to ensure that PWDs have unhindered access to quality health care services.
NYCN also asked government at the local level to open up their annual budgets in the interest of transparency and rebuilding public confidence: “This will increase the internally generated revenue (IGR) of local government as the citizens will have more reasons to pay their taxes and levies.”
