The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, welcomed the Conference of State Youth Parliament Speakers of Nigeria to his office earlier today.
Rt. Hon. Osawemenhio Uwagboe, Chairman of the Forum, praised the Minister for his dedication to youth empowerment, accessibility, and attention to grassroots concerns.
Uwagboe expressed the Forum’s full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Youth 4 Youth” vision, believing it will help achieve the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also called for ongoing collaboration with the Ministry, emphasizing that the Forum’s effectiveness depends on the Ministry’s support.
In response, the Minister encouraged the Forum to work towards expanding the Nigerian Youth Parliament to all states, aiming to boost youth participation in governance and legislation.
He also charged the visiting young parliamentarians to consider spreading their upcoming seminars and conferences to youth at the grassroots and focus less on bringing people to the FCT; noting that such seminars won’t solve the problem it is meant to solve if it’s not devolved to the grassroots.
The Minister, thereafter, assured of his profound and continued support, pledging that all their requests will be adequately attended to as they aligned with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Nigerian youth.