Correspondent Report.
Society for Family Health (SFH) says it is partnering the Nasarawa State Government to ensure that more adolescents and youths are included in the decision-making process in the state.
Ramatu Iyimoga, Lead, SFH A360 Abuja stated this on Wednesday in Lafia, Nasararawa State during the Meaningful Adolescent and Youth Engagement (MAYE) Summit organised for different youth groups in the state.
The summit was organised by the SFH in collaboration with Nasararawa State Government through their A360 Amplify Project in the state.
She explained that the summit was aimed at fostering meaningful interactions between adolescents, youths, and adults in order to empower them with knowledge and skills.
The lead person added that the organisation also intends to ensure that the youths are properly carried along in the scheme of things and the decision-making process to enable them to contribute their quota to the development of the state and the country.
She believed that if they were given the pride of place in the scheme of things, it would go a long way to make them unavailable for crimes and other social vices.
Muhammad Oyanki, Deputy Speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly while delivering a key note address is encouraged the youths not to wait until they attain a certain position in government to drive change in their respective communities.
The Deputy Speaker who himself is also a youth, said that if at this age he could make it as the number law maker in the state, other youths can make it to.
He said that the youths must continued to participate in politics at whatever level and add value to their communities, state and the country even before they get elected or appointed to public offices.
The law maker also praised Society for Family Health for leading efforts to meaningfully engage youths and listing to their challenges with a view of offering assistance towards addressing them.
Also, Dr Ibrahim Alhassan, Director of Public Health at the Nasararawa State Ministry of Health, emphasised the need for collaboration with other stakeholders to actively engage youths in the community.
He noted that since youths are found within all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the state, there is a need for their active inclusion and participation.
He also said that the government was always proactive to issues of mental health and other health challenges affecting the youths as well as the other members of the public.
On his part, Dr Madawa Abselom, Director, Community and Family Health Services at the Nasararawa State Primary Healthcare and Development Agency (NAPHDA) appreciated SFH for the partnership and pledged that the agency had accepted it wholeheartedly.
He further explained that the government had made provision for budgetary locations for issues concerning the adolescent and youths in so many MDAs.
He therefore said that the government had put measures on ground already for sustainability of the project even if the partners existed the state for the overall benefit of the youths in the state.
The highlight of the summit included; inauguration of Network of Youth Champions, and Youth Advisory Committee.
The summit had in attendance representatives of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Source of Hope Foundation, Adolescent Technical Working Group, YALI Network, Jabiwu Hope Foundation, Nasarawa State Youth Forum for Advocacy, Beacon of Youth Initiative, and Family Health Care