Benue to Operate Youth Devt Commission to Address Youth Devt 

George Okoh in Makuedi

Governor Hyacinth Alia has expressed commitment towards operationalization of the Benue State Youth Development Commission to address the demands of youth in the state to contribute in the transformation of Benue.

Governor Alia made the commitment on Thursday during the celebration of this year’s International Youth Day organised by the State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Creativity in collaboration with Benue Youth at IBB Square in Makurdi.

Represented by the deputy governor, Dr. Sam Ode, the governor who commended the youth for their readiness to participate actively in development of the state said they are partners of government in building the society through innovation, farming among others with capacity to create jobs.

He charged the youth to seize the opportunities provided by his administration by acquiring the necessary skills, embrace agriculture, technology and participate actively in politics as well as reject social vices to achieve the Benue of their dreams regardless of background.

Speaker Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Alfred Emberga, has called on the Benue Youth to resist any temptation to be recruited as political thugs, urging the them to rally round the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia who he noted has carried Benue youth along in the scheme of things.

Mr. Speaker challenged Benue youth to resist those politicians who did not mean well for the development of Benue State and the youth and promised to support the governor to implement programmes and policies that could directly impact the lives of the young people.

State ALGON Chairman and Chairman Kwande Local Government, Mr. Vitalis Neji, in a comment assured Benue youth that all the twenty-three local government chairmen would support young people and thanked Governor Alia for finding them worthy to serve the state in the capacity of local government chairmen with a promise not disappoint the younger generation.

The Managing Director, Benue State Investment and Property Company, Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, who spoke on the topic – Where will the Youth go after Graduation – urged the young people to acquire skills to enable them remain relevant to the society, saying the future currency of the young people was their skill and knowledge acquired.

A youth activist and APC House of Representatives candidate from Kaduna State, Mr. Malmud Sadisbaba, who was in Benue for the celebration of international youth day said youth were no longer the leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today and challenged Benue youth to prepare themselves towards leadership because opportunities always come with responsibilities.

Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse, on his part, urged government at all levels to take deliberate steps towards addressing the challenges of the young people and accommodate them in the act of governance to enable them contribute their quota to the development of Benue State.

Another keynote speaker and the chief Executive officer, D’Fudi Cuisine Limited, Dr. Doom Akpoughol, advised young people to embrace skills that would make them become self-reliant and employers of Labour rather than waiting on government jobs that were no longer available.

 Chairman Central Planning Committee and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Mobilization, Terver Gbenda, said the celebration of the global event in the state cut across all political parties, tribes, traditional and religious institutions, thanked Governor Alia for giving youths the opportunity to form the core of his administration through appointments and employment in various sectors with training of thousands of them in ICT.

He encouraged the youth to engage in agriculture which he described as the major economy of the state instead of being involved in thuggery and criminality.

Our correspondent reports that goodwill messages were presented by representatives of Nigeria Union Benue State Students, Trade Unioñ Group and hi People with Special needs while the event featured presentation of awards to best performing local government council chairmen, appointees, young innovators and students across the state.