The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged youths in the country to reject selfish leaders attempting to manipulate them against constituted authority.
The Director-General of NOA, Dr Garba Abari, gave the advice on Thursday in Uyo at a one-day campaign on youth participation in national development, tagged: “National Youth Summit 2021’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit has, as its theme: “The Role of Youths in Nation Building’’.
Abari, who was represented by Mr Enoh Uyoh, the NOA Director in Akwa Ibom, also appealed to the youth to rise up in unison to protect the country’s unity.
“I wish to use this opportunity to advise the youth to resist being used by selfish leaders to further their political ambitions.
“This they do by manipulating people, using ethnicity, religion and sectional differences, which have brought a lot of harm to our nation.
“Their actions have weakened the unity of our people and turn their attention away from pursing national economic development and political progress,’’ he said.
The director-general urged the youth to be at the vanguard of democracy and work together to preserve the nation’s common heritage, for posterity.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong, appealed to government to create enabling environment for the youth to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
Ememobong, who was represented by Mrs Grace Akpan, a Director in the ministry, noted that the youth had great roles to play in nation building.
“The youth are capable of bringing social reform and improvement to the society, if their energy is harnessed and utilised.
“No country can exist and grow without the youth. It is evidently clear that the nation requires youth participation to grow, progress and attain its lofty goals,’’ Ememobong said.
Earlier, Dr Dorothy Thompson, Chairman, Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Agency, urged the youth to embrace value re-orientation to enhance the development of the country.
Thompson also appealed to them to desist from vices that could dent the image of the country.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Andrew Amiengheme, noted that there was linkage between youth and national development.
Amiengheme, who was represented by the Divisional Police Officer, DSP Ekpeni Ajah, said that the wheel of development of any nation depended on productive and creative youth population. (NAN)
