The youth of Ikorodu have demanded for the use of sports to curb drug abuse and youth restiveness.

They made the call at the Stakeholders Meeting for residents of Ikorodu Constituency I, hosted by Hon S.O.B Agunbiade, the majority leader of Lagos State House of Assembly and Opomulero of Ikorodu Kingdom.

The 7th Annual Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting was held yesterday in 40 State Constituencies across Lagos State with the theme “Increasing Wave of Drug Abuse: A threat to nation building”.

The youths requested for youth centres in Ikorodu West and Ikorodu North LCDAs. They also requested for a youth festival which they say will help to discover new talents in sports which may fill the shortage suffered during the recent Olympic games.

Speaking on behalf of the youths, the Coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ikorodu West Local Branch who doubles as Secretary of Forum of NYCN Coordinators in Ikorodu Division, Comrade Asoro Abubakri observed that “an idle hand is the devil’s workshop”.

He noted that it is shameful and disheartening that despite lots of sports talents amongst the youth waiting to be tapped, there was low youth representation at the Olympic games. For him, this is a challenge, hence the government must do more to create an enabling environment.

Speaking further, Asoro stressed that a number of young persons resorted to drug abuse due to unemployment and meaning engagements. He emphasised the need for government to create employability trainings that will help the youths to identify their business potentials, and also to become “good products” for the employment market.

He commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for passing of the Anti Cultism Bill which, in his words, has performed a “magic” since its passage.

A memoranda was also submitted on behalf of the youths.