President Buhari received encomiums at the four day 42nd African Parliamentary Union (APU) conference held in the East African Country of Djibouti, this was as the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate and leader of Nigerian delegation to the conference,Senator Orji Uzor Kalu enumerated the Federal Government's social investment programmes and it's constitutional support for youth participation in governance in Nigeria.



Kalu while delivering his address at the conference ,canvassed for youth participation in governance in Nigeria and other African countries. He cited the Nigerian Federal Government's efforts at empowering youth in Governance through the signing of the Not Too Young to Run Bill by President Buhari in May 2019.



Senator Kalu further cited the Federal Government's school feeding and social reinvestment programmes like the N-Power all of which according to Kalu are aimed at empowering the youths via job creation.


Dr. Kalu's address on the President Buhari's efforts on youth Empowerment generated cheers and commendations from other African lawmakers gathered at the conference.


In his words "on the issue of youths President Muhammadu Buhari has already signed an act that constitutionally allows all youths of about 25 years and above contest for the house of representatives and other similar positions. In Nigeria we have many social programmes one of which is the N-Power programme in which youths are engaged in a paid internship skill acquisition programme by the Federal Government. We also have the school feeding programme where school children are fed daily. So we are giving the young men and women the opportunities to participate in all levels of governance in Nigeria"


"It's a partnership between the elders and the young people, we need to do a lot more to create a better environment where youths will be participatory in the democratic environment. So the environment needs to protect the youths so that we can create new jobs a new atmosphere and break new grounds. I want to thank the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for sending this powerful delegation to attend this conference and for giving us this opportunity of representing Nigeria and we shall continue to do better for the next four years. It is going to be interesting and interactive, we shall place Nigeria at a vintage position. President Buhari has asked us to go across the globe to make more friends for Nigeria and attract non-oil investment to the country and we are calling on our business men to support this drive.For me everything we are doing would be centred around economic diplomacy.


The four day conference concentrated on four areas of strategic importance to the African Continent such as Maternal/Infant Mortality and Youth Empowerment.


Also discussed at the conference was the issue of regional integration and the overall development of Africa which has been the core themes at various African summits and the 42nd session of the African Parliamentary Union in Djibouti,East Africa , legislators from Across 40 countries of the continent gathered with renewed energy vigour for the development of the continent as a whole and more inclusion of all segments of the African society .


Tarek Radwan Deputy Chairman , Exceutive Commiteee APU spoke on the disenfranchisement of women in governance he said that the time was now to give youths the opportunity to take up specific roles in various African countries.


In his words" We have seen a lot of segregation against women, I believe it's pay back time to give and empower youths to take the role in their countries.

happy to see an enthusiastic delegation representing sister countries and respectful country like Nigeria.Among these discussions was how to enhance the role of the youths in a special committee.Among these discussions was how to enhance the role of the youths in a special committee".


Canvassing significant youth participation in Africa received more attention at the African Parliamentary Union as delegates at the conference who are mostly leaders in their national parliament expressed displeasure with the level of youth involvement in the continent.

The Nigerian delegation led by Senator Orji Kalu conveyed a sideline meeting of the five major donors to the union. The meeting tagged G5 resolved to canvass for the establishment of a Youth Commiteee in African Parliamentary union for the first time. We shall organise them to make sure that Nigeria is involved because I found out that Nigeria is not involved in the scheme of things.

The G5 is also canvassing for strategic positions for the major financial donors like Nigeria especially with the vibrancy of the Nigerian delegation as described as the vice-chairman of the African Union executive committee. The union had already established other vital committees including that of women affairs.

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