Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said building a progressive Nigeria would depend a lot on transparently and honestly engaging with youths.

This, according to him, was why implementation of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) were not done on the basis of sharing slots between public officials or political chieftains but in a manner whereby Nigerians who knew no one could benefit.

The Vice President stated these on Tuesday when he received, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, the executive committee of the Young Parliamentarians Forum led by its Chairman, Hon. Representative Karu Elisha from Kebbi.

Osinbajo, who was asked by the President to coordinate the SIPs at its commencement in 2016: “The first problem was everybody wanted a slot. I resisted it. Why?

“If I do that, we will destroy the programmes because majority of Nigerians don’t know people who will take the slots.”

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, Osinbajo explained: “It was not that one was being purist but if young people can’t get the benefit except they know someone then we have failed the young people.”

Recalling how the President responded to the implementation of the SIPs, which was done openly giving everyone an equal opportunity to benefit, the Vice President said: “One day the President called me that he was listening to BBC Hausa Service and he heard two young men-beneficiaries of N-Power – saying they didn’t know anybody but were being paid the N30, 000 monthly stipends. The President said that is what shows we are making a difference.

“And everywhere we went during the 2019 campaigns, we had these young people organizing themselves coming out supporting us,” the Vice President recalled.

“If people know they count, then they can trust us and they won’t destroy because they have a stake. Otherwise, people will never trust us,” he submitted, insisting that political leaders must make sacrifices in order to win the trust of the people.

Acknowledging there were indeed important issues to be addressed, while noting the crucial place of youths in building a successful nation, Osinbajo said the youths are not just a demography but they are in the majority, stating “what we need to do for that vast majority is what we must do for our country. We must find a way so they are represented as effectively as possible.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/why-engagement-with-youths-must-be-transparent-honest-by-osinbajo/

Pfft

Now they know the United youth effect.

They have seen it, experience it, and have probably learnt from the #endsars# protest.

A change of bad governance is not too much to ask for. Thanks anyway, cos u have been the only one that have been active in this government looking for solution.

saucespecies:
Now they know the United youth effect.

They have seen it, experience it, and have probably learnt from the #endsars# protest.

A change of bad governance is not too much to ask for. Thanks anyway, cos u have been the only one that have been active in this government looking for solution.

Yes tbvh, he has been the only one. Wish we have like thee osinbajos in this administration.

The strength of a Nation is her youths and her future depends on them

See this scam, transparent and honesty kee u dia, when your daughter was posted to serve at aso rock na transparency and honesty be that?

Chief explainer

Well done sir