2020 Youth Day: CYMS calls for robust engagement in Democratic space.


By Otobong Akpakpan

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the 2020 International Youth Day, Director General, committee of youths on mobilization and Sensitization (CYMS), Comrade Obinna Nwaka has called on the Nigerian youths to reflect on our common achievements in the advancement of democracy in the view to highlight the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, as well as draw lessons on how their representation has impacted the society.

Speaking in a statement, Nwaka said that the theme of the International Youth Day 2020, “Youth Engagement for Global Action” is very crucial as it resonates a call to celebrate and mainstream young peoples’ voices, actions and initiatives, as well as their meaningful, universal and equitable engagement, saying that CYMS has been in the forefront of monitoring, evaluating and projection of government policies, programmes and mobilizing young people to key into the Federal Government schemes.

While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for his youth friendly leadership following the approval of N75b through Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), he solicits for a more enabling opportunities for the engagement of youths in formal political mechanisms to increase the fairness of political processes, reduce democratic deficits, contributes to better and more sustainable policies.

Nwaka said this year theme has symbolic importance that can further contribute to restore trust in public institutions, especially among youth. Moreover, the vast majority of challenges humanity currently faces, such as the COVID-19 outbreak and climate change require concerted global action and the meaningful engagement and participation of young people to be addressed effectively.