Activist tasks politicians, lawmakers to take deliberate action on youth leadership development in Akwa Ibom
…cautions leaders from continuous empowerment of youths with motorcycles, tricycles
…Wants law to compel project completion
By Itoro Bassey
Akwa Ibom State Government and the state legislature have been urged to embark on concrete programmes for the youth population that would make them true leaders of tomorrow, instead of paying lip service to development of their future.
Saviour Akpan, the Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace Building, gave the charge in Uyo, on Friday, while sharing his thoughts on “cultivating youths as future leaders in combating corruption”, on Passion FM’s programme, ‘Security, Human Rights and You’.
“I always hear this statement, youths are the leaders of tomorrow, and I wonder when that tomorrow is starting. So, for our youths to be leaders of tommorow there must be very deliberate action from the government. It’s not going to be words absent of real action or intention”.
The human rights activist, who put the responsibility of championing the cause of youth development squarely on the doorsteps of the executive and the legislature, expressed worry on the high level of partisan involvement of youth leaders in party politics in Akwa Ibom State, with no sustainable and responsible livelihood.
“When our youth leaders become extremely partisan, it makes them ready-made tools for political corruption and electoral violence in the hands of overzealous politicians who keep cajoling them as being leaders of tomorrow.
“Effective tomorrow leadership depends largely upon today’s fellowship, as such; the leaders of today should live by example in terms of accountability and inclusivity”.
Akpan called for an end to the practice of empowering youths with motorcycles, tricycles and allied vehicles, saying that such gesture, as usually sponsored by Akwa Ibom lawmakers and politicians, would lead to dearth of artisans with crucial skills.
According to him, “the distribution of such unregistered vehicles tantamounts to aiding and abetting criminality and also a negation of the function of a legislator as enshrined in Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)”.
Akpan called on politicians and lawmakers to take a detour from empowering the youths with motorcycles to training them in the areas of developing requisite skills and up-to-date knowledge that would better their lots.
“Rather than continue with this old method of empowerment, our lawmakers and politicians should sponsor the youths to acquire practical skills that are twenty-first century compliant to enable them engage in meaningful ventures thereafter.
“I am calling on those that empower youths to have a rethink. They should alternately establish skills acquisition/vocational training centres, revive moribund workshops, create and equip new ones, which are better and more lasting ways to empower our youths.
“In a normal society, nobody is supposed to be an Okada rider without license. That is why the lawmakers should enact laws that would make it mandatory for operators to acquire licenses because these young commercial motorcycle riders are operating dangerously on our roads”.
Akpan also called on government to ban the sales of alcoholic beverages contained in sachets at motor parks, insisting that motorcycle riders and drivers who consume them recklessly would be endangering their lives and the lives of others road users.
“We are supposed to have what is called needs assessment and robust consultations with especially the youths and then put in place a strategic plan before proceeding to acquire empowerment items for people.
“Some of the Okada riders, if you go to where we have motor parks like Ikot Ekpene, Itu bridge head, Oron and others and you see the level of alcohol consumption by this segment of the society, you would withdraw them from circulation if you have the wherewithal.
“There should be a ban on the production of alcohol in sachets in this country because that is another area where the consumption pattern of alcohol is increasing everyday, and because it is very easy to buy it at N50.
“Lawmakers who are giving youths motorcycles as empowerment, have you enacted a law to check the distribution of alcoholic beverages in sachets? Remember that government has the responsibility to protect lives and property”.
Speaking further on the detention of wrongdoers, Akpan advocated for non-custodial sentencing and abrogation of custodial sentencing for corruption and high profile crimes in Nigeria, recommending that convicted persons should be sent to do community service, and other jobs alike rather than locking them up in prisons.
Akpan also charged labour unions in Akwa Ibom State to look into issues of casualization of workers and the payment of peanuts to young persons employed especially by petrol stations, hotels, and private school owners in the state.
“You would be surprised to find out that owners of petrol stations in Akwa Ibom State pay their pump attendants less that N8,000 in a month, while those who own petrol stations in the rural communities pay as low as N4,000 per month.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress should look into the issue of casualization in the state. You can’t pay human beings such peanuts and expect them to do accurate accounting for you.
“The next industry in Akwa Ibom State, after petrol stations, are private schools, hotels, brothels, and guests houses. Workers in these places are paid very poorly.
“Even when we are putting up these industries, there should be corresponding legislations to regulate them so that they would not constitute a crime back to the society”.
He said: “I want the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to make law that will make it compulsory for a governor who does not complete his projects within the lifespan of his administration to come back from his house and do so at the expiration of his tenure”.
