NIGERIA'S former Permanent Representative at the United Nations (UN), Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has tasked African countries to clearly spell out the role of youths and direct conscious efforts at improving their socio-political and economic conditions towards a brighter economic future for continent.
Gambari, who spoke at the first convocation ceremony of Kwara State University, Malete, at the weekend, said the continent has an advantage of greater youth population over most other continents and that investments in them would promote the continent's socio-economic development.
The UN former official, who was inaugurated the university's pioneer chancellor, said that Africa would soon control about one-third of the world youth population, and that a systematic and strategic investment in education, health, employment and civil participation of people would see the continent become a force to reckon with economically.
According to him, Africa remains the only continent with a significantly growing youth population, as the UN estimates that in less than three generations, 41 per cent of the world's youth would be African, and by 2035, Africa's labour force will be larger than China's.
"Africa cannot afford to fail the aspirations and hopes of its youths; rather, it will have to build on them through empowerment and full participation" through "the provision of comprehensive skills and labour development," and "addressing inadequate access to credit and productive resources.
"There has to be systematic and strategic investment in young people's education, employment, healthcare, empowerment and civil participation. The youth unemployment crisis has to be prioritised as one of the critical challenges to the future of Africa. It can only be addressed through a combination of strong, broad-based growth and targeted social and economic measures."
The Guardian
The youths are always the strong point of any gathering. Our government have to realize that on time before things get out of hand.