ahmstrng:
There are more than 1.2 billion people under the age of 30 in Africa, accounting for over 60 per cent of our total population. In some of our member states, particularly in Nigeria, the youth demographic rises to 70 per cent.

Youth are talented, knowledgeable and ambitious, and are making a difference every day in all fields of work and as leaders in their communities. They play an integral part in advancing development, democracy and peace, and in promoting Commonwealth values such as respect and understanding.

Despite their drive and achievements, young people’s contribution to society often goes unrecognized, nor are they adequately invested in or included in decision-making processes such as political and economical matters. At the same time young people also face formidable issues of unemployment, discrimination and lack of access to education and healthcare. Left unresolved, these challenges will impede national development while hindering each individual’s personal potential.
“When our children are assured of survival and health, provided with a good education, protected from war and violence, and when youth participate in the democracy and development of their countries, then Africa will be set to claim the 21st century” – Kingsley Y. Amoako, a Ghanaian-born international civil servant and diplomat who led the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in 1995-2005 at the rank of UN Under-Secretary-General.
It is no time but the best time to draw effect to the fact that youth participation and action in the smooth running and political ideology of our immediate environ is a turn down and total frown and slap on the idea that we have intellectual and democratic minded youth in Africa, considering the instance of the activities in the west and the inclination and projection of their youth in the society plan and diplomatic relations cannot be reiterated.

According to my own conviction about youthful participation in Politics and in line with international overview of democracy and good governance, it is when the people are freely involve in the design of their direct participation in managing their own affairs without imposition of a third party’s influence or dictating terms. It is inclusive perfection in the decision making process between and amongst the society in governance. In other words, Youth involvement must be based on the particular conditions of each society, but also on the shared values of the equal dignity and rights of all human beings.

We practice democracy in the fairest and uptight use, for democracy to work, it requires a well-functioning judicial system based on the principles of the rule of law and a just political settlement with equally shared ratio of age participation. This is very important in a political stability of very state, It is essentials because it allows free and fair elections, functioning political parties, independent media and vibrant civil society organizations and NGOs that can operate freely for welfare and development of state. In democracy and good governance, there is a political, social and economic accountability of people in positions of power for their actions due to the pure and ideal mindset of youths and sting towards true representation.

The involvement and participation of all with the attitude of respect to all and injury to none, the ideal importance and rationality behind the formation of democracy by the founding fathers will not be jeopardized so is the effect of rule of law, checks and balances enforcement.

Nevertheless at the expense of all this not in suitable place, it is issued on our shoulders, when I say “our” I mean “youth” to create a better and more comfortable arena for the practice of justice, because to present ourself with task of this huge importance, we have to showcase the very vast level of intellectual assimilation and orientations. This recommendations are prescribe to the youth for easy policy making and involvement in nation building and betterment, so as to declare their own availability for immense Establishment of National Youth Policy. The political leadership and indeed the


You just spoilt the whole right up with waiting for the old to give leadership to the young




Ministry responsible for youth, sport and recreation should design national youth service council where they will be trained to participate in national building that constitute democracy and good governance. They current youth Unions and associations at various levels are not organized with competence to neither participate in democracy and good governance nor challenge the government in the management of public affairs.
Professional Dialogue on Democracy and Good Governance:

There is a great concern about youth coming together and discuss issues by emphasizing the important role that youth can play in addressing corruptions at all level of public and private sector, so that it demand accountability and concrete actions from their government to address youth unemployment. There are many jobs here in Nigeria, only that wrong people are place at wrong places. when right people are unemployed. This confusion must be corrected to allow youth to work. Youth cannot be compared to older people because youth are engine of change; they are easily transformable into what is needed for betterment of the nation and they should not remain unused.

Definition of Youth and 15% Affirmative Action: I call upon the youth to come together to discuss amongst themselves and present their uniform position to National Constitutional Commission for inclusion in the constitution. Different youth group have already expressed their opinion by defining a youth as a person from the age of 18 to 40 years old. The government must also consider 15% affirmative action for youth in allocation of public offices at all levels of government and this must be expressly provided for in the constitution.
God bless Nigerian Youths
God bless Nigeria
Charisma Abdulazeez Yemmy is a 400Level student of English Literature from the Better by Far University, University of Ilorin.

Source: kanzahsays.com