The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Investment, says it is collaborating the youth on sustainable development to promote common good.
Mrs Solape Hammond, the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs and Investment, said this on Monday in Ikeja, during the news conference unveiling the Lagos SDGs Youth Alliance.
Hammond said that the youth alliance was aimed at amplifying and repositioning the broad tendencies of the youth for common good.
She said that government was starting a new journey and shaping an exciting future.
This, she said, was by enabling young people to immerse in social reality and responsibility that would help unleash a new tribe of citizens that were committed to common good.
She said that the initiative emerged from the conviction that youth represented a formidable and potent force through which positive impact could be made in all spheres of human endeavours.
According to her, the youth represent a potent force where meaningful engagements with them is a prerequisite for achieving the Greater Lagos agenda and by extension the global SDGs.
”As a Government that recognises the value of collaboration and engagement, we are establishing a clear and enduring pathway for meaningful youth participation in governance and in shaping the future they so much desire.
”We are at the same time providing the youths with required support and enabling environment to thrive.
”Far from addressing them as mere beneficiaries of the 2030 Agenda, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has demonstrated his passion to position young people as active architects in the State’s developmental pursuits.
”The governor has continued to engage them in the frameworks and processes that support implementation, follow-up and review of development initiatives,” she said.
Hammond said that the government was poised to make the movement a special purpose vehicle that would drive a society of resourceful youth whose potentials were to be harnessed to drive the Greater Lagos ambition.
She said that this was by channelling their energy, education, intellect and resourcefulness towards positive engagement for a better future.
According to her, the state government is determined to deepen the focus on youth-oriented approach to social change.
”The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has further exemplified this claim when he noted that amidst the ‘uncertainty and insecurity all around’, the world’s young people are its ‘greatest source’ of hope.
”Along with their drive and enthusiasm to do well, they bring a diversity of fresh perspectives and interpretations to the challenges and opportunities we all face.
”They remain a source of new energy and solutions to the persistent problems of our time.This administration is not oblivious of the unique challenges of today’s world.
”Nonetheless, having an active and substantive engagement with young women and men of great potential and deploying their competence into planning, articulation and implementation of development priorities will improve the efforts of the government and establish positive influence on the society,” she said.
The special adviser said that the youth were the native speakers of the global language of this decade; the most tech-savvy, digitally enabled and media-driven generation of all time.
She said that the countless opportunities to accelerate and co-create the future that the youth wanted were now laid before them.
Hammond urged them to maximise advantages of invaluable networking, priceless contacts, profound deliberations, quality mentorship, exchange of brilliant ideas and collaborative action available through participation in Lagos SDGs Youth cause.
She said that the government was optimistic that the youth would commit resources and efforts to solve some emerging challenges in the communities. (NAN)
