As part of efforts aimed at reviewing its activities in the year 2022, to guarantee greater impact in the new year, the Anambra State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, has held a strategic management meeting at the State Youth House in Awka.
The meeting was convened by the state executive committee of NYCN at the instance of the state Chairman, Ambassador Surveyor Obi Emeka Chukwudi.
The meeting was presided by Ambassador Nduanya Innocent, the NYCN Deputy National President, and also had in attendance State NYCN pioneer key officers, state executive team, local government coordinators and the various affiliate organizations (VYOs, FBOs, CBOs).
Speaking during the meeting, the state NYCN chairman, Surv. Obi explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the affairs of the NYCN council since the inception of the current administration, its achievements, challenges and way forward.
He highlighted some of the achievements of the state council under his watch to include setting up/flagging off of ICT training for the state youths with 25 sets of computers, an initiative which has been taken down to the Local government level.
“Others include the enactment and inauguration of 220 community liaison officers, the enactment of ward representatives and the ongoing congress, the appointment of 37 Directorate offices, and the NYCN King's cup football competition that is ongoing.
“Others include the clearance of 2 years outstanding office rent and employment of office administrative secretary, making the office functional on a daily basis, repair of one of the two council official buses, rebranding and creation of relevance in council's affairs with key stake holders in government, private sector and youth structure/ constituencies, among others,” he noted.
He also said the Council has installed the Anambra Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim as the Grand Commander of NYCN Anambra state chapter, as well as, presented merit awards to some deserving supporters and promoters of youth development in Anambra state.
Obi revealed that so far, some of the NYCN state directorates and the local government coordinators have successfully carried out programmes including sensitisation on child's rights and human trafficking at Urum, while the various NYCN local government chapters have also marked the celebration of International Youth Day.
On the challenges encountered by the Council, Obi highlighted lack of funds, untimely release of council's annual subvention and poor operational state of the council buses impeding effective mobility, as the teething ones.
A the end of the meeting, the Anambra NYCN Management meeting resolved to review the NYCN Anambra state Bye-Laws and authorized the state chairman/state executive to appoint competent and committed members of NYCN as members of the review committee irrespective of their status in the council.
The meeting resolved that members and officers of the state youth council should not be partisan in carrying out the affairs and activities of the youth council in the state, emphasizing that there should be no political endorsements.
While passing a vote of confidence on the State Chairman, Surveyor Obi Emeka Chukwudi, the meeting also resolved that the office of the state chairman should always be given reverence and full support that it deserves as the symbol of authority and the image of the youth council in Anambra state.
The communique issued after the meeting read; “The management also passed vote of confidence on the leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria led by His Youthfulness, Sokubo Sar'igh Sokubo and his executive.
“It commends the Anambra state government which took off about 9 months ago, for having achieved tangible results in areas of infrastructure, recruitment, youth empowerment and sound policy. Worthy of note is the flag off of Anambra ‘One Youth Two Skills Initiative’ that targets over 4000 youths for skills acquisition and empowerment. The state governor has turned Anambra state into a construction site as promised and we ask for more infrastructural development.
“We also commend for the recruitment of about 5000 teachers who are predominantly youths. The management wants the government to improve more on areas of economic and infrastructural development.
“We bemoan the hesitation of the government (state and federal) in providing adequate/ prompt support to flood victims who are predominantly youths; (referencing Farmers/AFAN Youths Flood victims Data bank); who are surviving through self-help means as farmers in those flood prone local government areas.”
The meeting went further to fault the recruitment of touts (agbero) and giving them uniforms as government officials, insisting that they need adequate training and profiling to fit into the role.
“The meeting also observes the perceived compromise by some of the security operatives, especially police who usually abandon their duty post when it matters most, thereby aiding the criminal elements in executing their criminal activities.
“We want to re-emphasize the need to improve the salaries of Anambra state civil servants as they are among the least paid as compared to their counterparts.
“The state government should also consider the need for recruitment of local government workers in Anambra state because there is a shortage of staff in the various local government, especially the junior staff, so as to replace the senior staff retiring in years to come.
“There is an overwhelming need for more youth engagement in the governance and administration of Anambra state through political appointments of youths in policy development and execution in key government ministries, departments and agencies.
“The government should consider approving subvention for NYCN local government chapter in Anambra as done in other states, and finally the management meeting passed an unalloyed vote of confidence to the administration of Mr. Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR for taking off effectively in spite of obvious poor resources,” the Communique concluded.