Empowering youths through viable business ventures and initiative is key to the realization of mass employment and job creation. Thus various world governments either initiate or improve upon such initiatives within their nations. The Nigerian government, led by president Muhammadu Buhari rode to power on the wings of such promises, these the youths believed and bought into believing that lofty initiatives that will foster youth engagement will be established. But alas with a cursory consideration one wonders what has become of certain initiatives that have existed before or created by the current administration.

NYSC WAR AGAINIST POVERTY (WAP)
Created by the government of Former President Goodluck Jonathan had held for nine batches of National Youth Service Corps. The tenth edition of this initiative meant to empower members in the area of agricultural production met stiff financial opposition, especially as it was on record that funds for the programme had been mopped up at disbursement stage due to the instrumentality of the Treasury Single Account, and so did the initiative that would have empowered over 200 Corps members die a natural death.

FADAMA GRADUATE UNEMPLOYED YOUTH AND WOMEN SUPPORT (GUYS)
An initiative that gave countless youths the notion that this government (that of President Muhammadu Buhari) which had hailed itself as one prepared to cause a revolution in agriculture had plans for them. Alas it was an exercise in futility as youths from 23 states of the federation numbering no less that 200 per state were camped for two weeks in various places, with the idea that financial disbursements will be done to enable them develop on their agricultural plans, the programme running to a year has had no mention of disbursement, rather there have been talks of scraping the initiative.

YOUWIN CONNECT
A glowing initiative of the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan, which at the time was much praised for its success was brought back in a bid to develop and re-invent its mechanism. This initiative gave thousands of Nigerians hope though only a meagre 5000 persons were to be selected; a poor reflection of the magnitude of Nigerian unengaged youth population. What warrants mention of this initiative here is the fact that; as against the earlier stand of capacity building and funding, the government has gone back on its words to call it a simple capacity building initiative. Meaning trainees should not expect to be funded.

NPOWER
The famous Npower, beyond all other initiatives of government gave more unemployed youth hope, but affirmatively as it stands the ‘the Almighty Npower’, is refusing to empower its subscriber.

To the dismay of all, the government which came with high hopes of job creation and empowerments have greatly and in no small means failed its many believers. The question now is can a government that has not used the benefit-of-doubt given it by the youths warrant a second consideration? Time will surely tell…