Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedimma, Acting Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat, has advises the youth to shun violence and other anti-social behaviours that could endanger the development and growth of the country.
Onyedimma gave the advice on Monday in Abuja during the rally to mark the International Peace Day with the theme: “Shaping Peace Together”.
She said that economic hardship had exposed the youth with challenges of engaging in kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and rape, creating impediment to economic growth of the nation.
She said the vices had increased the challenges of poverty and hardship in the country.
Onyedimma said that by Oct. 1, Nigeria would be 60 and urged youths to be committed to building a non-violent nation of enviable economic growth, adding that the survival of the nation rested on the youth.
“The lessons of the COVID-19 have shown that the world is uniquely connected by God and so any calamity and misfortune is therefore a global concern.
“It is therefore, imperative that we eschew violence and focus on the sustainable economic development of Nigeria,’’ she said.
Onyedimma appealed to youths to embrace peace as they were the agents of positive change and peace and focus on social change processes to transform violence and oppression into positive behaviour.
Contributing, the Director, Youth Department, Mrs Hajara Alayande, told the youth to use their initiative, attitude, zeal and creativeness to do good at all times for the betterment of humanity.
Alayande noted that it was youths that fought for independence of this great nation and the youth of this generation were the one destroying it and urged them to emulate the nation’s forefathers.
“Must you be tagged a criminal, kidnappers, bandits; this generation is important to us,” she said
The director urged them not to allow anyone to derail them not to live a peaceful life, saying that they had enough resources and talents for them to tap without travelling to other countries.
“All we need is knowledge, preparedness and commitment to tap these resources, if there is love, there will be peace and progress and we cannot achieve sustainable development if we result to violence,” she said
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Meanwhile, the Minister of State, FCT, Mrs Ramatu Tijani, represented by her Special Assistant, Mrs Simisola Ayoade, admonished the youth to use their God-given talents and capacity for the development of the country.
“I am not happy with the situation of youths in this country and I know that every youth has an in-built capacity, so put your own to work so that you can discover your potential,” she advised. (NAN)
