Youth Alive Foundation(YAF), a Non-Governmental Organisation(NGO), on Sunday in Abuja urged the Federal Government to get the youths actively involved in the fight against corruption.
Speaking at an event tagged, “Safe Spaces for Youth: the Barrier of Corruption,’’ Dr Udy Okon, the Executive Director, YAF, said that it was fundamental for youths to be engaged.
According to Okon, the event is organised to commemorate the International Youth Day which is a global day for youths.
She said the event brought youths together with some stakeholders in order to deliberate on how spaces could be created for youths and how corruption was shrinking those spaces.
The executive director also said the event afforded the opportunity to amplify the needs of youths and why it was important for government and people to look at youth development.
Okon said creating spaces for youths for them to participate in the anti-graft war was not only the responsibility of the federal government but non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well.
She said that in any activity going on, either in business, government or otherwise, spaces should be created to accommodate youths for an assured tomorrow.
Okon pointed out that the YAF had taken tremendous strides in engaging Nigerian youths to combat corruption.
She maintained that one of the areas the foundation has done this is the creation of safe digital spaces for youths.
According to her, youths don’t know enough about governance and if good governance is needed in the next 20-30 years, youths ought to educated on the demographic of good governance.’’
She said that to make it simple for youths, the foundation went ahead to design a mobile digital for youths.
“This will allow them do whatever they want to do in their own way and at the same time learn about governance.’’
“YAF has a facebook community where we can work together, collaborate and advocate some issues. That’s creating a civic space.
“With the effort of the United Kingdom, we are working on projects which anchor on increasing youth participation in the fight against corruption,’’ she said.
Okon said the project is titled Wipe-out, with the intent to consolidate and achieve on what they had been working for in the past year, which is engaging youths in governance and anti-graft.
She noted that recently there had been remarkable impacts and results in different states like Kano, Lagos and Rivers state where the activities of youths have brought positive changes.
She said that the government would do well if youths were equipped in the fight against corruption which is a menace to the society.
The event had in attendance Mr John Primose from the British High Commission, Aisha Yesufu, co-convener of the BringBackOurGirls(BBOG), political analysts among others.
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