By Nudoiba Ojen
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said that his administration’s decision to engage youths in governance is to enable them to showcase their innate abilities as well as prepare them for leadership positions in the future.
Prince Abiodun also said that his administration will provide grants ranging from N500,000 to N1million to enable business-oriented youths in the state to fulfill their dreams under its Ogun YES Empowerment and Entrepreneur Program.
Governor Abiodun stated this at the First Annual Youth Summit and Empowerment Programme organized by the Ogun State Chapter of the City Boy Movement, held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.
The governor noted that the strength of any society lies in its youth and maintained that the state government is building a future where the youths are not only participants but innovators and change leaders.
Governor Abiodun, who was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo, said, “As an administration, we are committed to ensuring that the youth are not only participants, but leaders in making decisions that affect their lives. We recognize that empowering our youth today ensures a brighter tomorrow.
“Through the Ogun Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Programme, we are providing grants ranging from N500,000 to N1 million to enable business-oriented youth to realize their vision.
“Additionally, our upcoming Ogun Youth Agricultural Programme will feature thousands of youths trained in advanced technology and much more.”
The Summit, according to the governor, serves as a reminder that hope is not passive but active, adding that hope requires courage to take the first step, challenge the status quo, and believe that they can achieve.
The theme of the Summit, “Renewed Hope Agenda: A Concrete Foundation For A Prosperous Nigeria,” the governor emphasized, is not only a slogan but a clarion call for the new generation ready to create, innovate, and reshape the future of the nation.
“The youth have the energy, potential and resolve to transform our communities and the world at large. Youth are the embodiment of ideas, innovation, resilience and passion, which is the hallmark of any generation determined not only to dream but to act,” he added.
While noting that the initiative aligns with his administration’s “Building Our Future Together” mantra, Governor Abiodun commended the Abeokuta chapter of the movement for their unwavering dedication and profound commitment to shaping the future of the youth, calling on stakeholders to support them in realizing their dreams as future leaders.
In his opening remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communication and New Media, Mr O’tega Ogra, said the establishment of the National Student Loan Scheme, where over 300,000 students in higher institutions have benefited so far, is an indication that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has them in his heart.
He acknowledged the current economic challenges in the country, but assured that the Federal Government is working to surmount them, just as he assured Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs that they would no longer pay taxes when the Tax Reform Law comes into effect.
The Personal Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Mr Kamorudeen Yusuf, urged the youth to key into the various reforms occurring in the country and take an active part in building a progressive nation that they would be proud of.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership, Rinsola Abiola, in her contribution, appreciated Governor Abiodun for the various programmes specifically targeted at the youth, saying they were in tandem with President Bola Tinubu’s goal to lift the youth and give them a future.
