The Kwara State Government has been encouraged to do more to create adequate empowerment for the youth in the state to curtail youth restiveness.
Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim, founder of Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim (MAI) Foundation, who made the plea, however, stressed the need to allow total local government autonomy.
Ibrahim, while fielding questions from journalists at the 4th Kwara Youth Stakeholders Conference, said that it was high time government focused more on youth empowerment as they are the major stakeholders in society.
The conference sponsored by MAI Foundation was meant to develop the youth, enlighten them of their roles in the society and what they can do to help the state and the country at large.
He said: “The youth is the only option to develop the state and Nigeria as whole. As part of my foundation’s program, the key objective is youth empowerment. We have to do more and I want to urge the government to create enough empowerment for the youths.”
Ibrahim lamented that seven out of the 12 suspects arrested in connection with the Offa armed robbery were indigenes of Kwara State, adding that if youths in the state were fully engaged in one vocation or the other, they would not stay idly and engage in social- vices.
“If government is determined to end youth restiveness, it must create local government autonomy system. When that is done, everybody will be involved in activities then, they are creating fund and employment,” he added.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
