The Cargo Manager, Turkish Airlines, Mr Okafor Ugochukwu has urged the federal, state governments and wealthy Nigerians to invest more resources in youth empowerment.
Ugochukwu, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja , said youth investment was part of strategy to grow the economy and curb youths restiveness.
According to him, youths are important components in achieving nation growth.
He said that investing in youths could go a long way in checkmating restiveness and the spate of crimes among them in the society.
The manager said that massive investments in agriculture and creation of progressive programmes among the youth could meaningfully engage their minds actively.
“The youth population is the largest in this country; an estimated 80 per cent of the nation’s young people live in cities and rural areas across the country.
“This group of people can do wonders in government’s plans for economic advancement in both sciences and agriculture.’’
Ugochukwu said that opportunities for youths in areas such as science, agriculture, power and energy were limited leaving them marginalised economically, especially in the rural areas.
“Following the impact of high rates of poverty and unemployment, these young people are migrating from one country to another in search of opportunities.
“The youths can become agro-entrepreneurs among others with the support of individuals and government at all levels, with a view to curbing criminality,” he said.
Ugochukwu said that if all tiers of government would massively invest in youths this year, “it will help to revive the nation’s economy’’.
He decried the level of governments’ neglect of youths, especially in their quest to have access to loans to drive their businesses.
He, therefore, urged the federal and state governments to create opportunities that would provide easy access to loans.
“There is also need to support the local governments and private organisations with empowerment programmes aimed at helping rural young people to create employment opportunities through agriculture,” he said.
Ugochukwu urged youths to shun social vices and embrace some already created government progrommmes aimed at empowering them. (NAN)
