Fed Govt to revamp 42 youth centres in battle against unemployment

The Federal Government has said it is set to rehabilitate and revamp 42 youth centres across the country to boost empowerment.

Youth Development Minister Jamila Bio-Ibrahim said this when representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) visited the ministry at the weekend in Abuja.

“We have 42 centres that we want to rehabilitate and revamp and make operational. Some of the centres are not operational. That is why we want to rehabilitate them,” she said.

The minister urged the UNDP representatives to support the ministry to implement the government’s strategic plans to provide young Nigerians with the necessary skills, mentorship, the right environment and access to resources that would empower them to become active contributors to the economy.

Shedding light on the strategic areas of the ministry’s agenda, Bio-Ibrahim said: “Our strategic ambition is to transform and reposition the Nigerian youth as catalysts for economic development. Young people must be an integral part of this process. We have other sub-ambitions, the first being a reduction in the youth unemployment rate, followed by an increase in youth possessing skills that are in line with global demand, and an increase in youth participation in social and economic development.

“Our core tactical initiatives are focused on four pillars: Governance, Jobs and Skills Innovation, Culture and Behavioral Change, and Human Capital Development. These pillars aim to guide policy advocacy and development, improve coordination across stakeholders, and provide multi-agency youth programs and resources.”

The minister said the Bola Tinubu administration was determined to establish communication governance frameworks, implement youth-embedded public and private sector mentorship programmes, create multi-sector job off-taker platforms for youth employment, enhance the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) reforms and establish youth villages and innovation centres.

She also announced the ministry’s plans to revitalise the National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), launch the Young Leaders Institute, implement social, behavioural, and cultural change programmes aimed at tackling youth-related issues, such as climate change, gender, mental health, drug, and substance abuse.

According to her, the initiative includes the provision of access to business literacy, financial management, and entrepreneurship training to meet the global market demand.