The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, has concluded plans to hold its second edition of the Police and Youth Dialogue with the theme: “The Police, Youth and The Law: Strategic Collaborations for A Safer Lagos”.
The dialogue session, according to the State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Olusegun Dawodu, is scheduled to hold from Tuesday, 10th January – Friday, 20th January, 2023 in all the five Administrative Divisions of the State and will be attended by relevant stakeholders including Youths and Officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos Command.
According to Dawodu, “As a proactive government, the Sanwo-Olu administration understands the indispensable role of youth in enhancing and sustaining the security of life and property in a cosmopolitan city like Lagos. This explains why the approval of the Police Youth Dialogue was given in the Year 2021 when the maiden edition was held”.
“To further strengthen the collaboration and engagement between the Police and the Youth, our proactive Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu gave approval for the second edition, where the dialogue events will be held in all the five Administrative Divisions of the State”, he added.
Recall that the Police Youth Dialogue was one of the initiatives of the present administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu to nip in the bud any situation that could snowball into crisis by creating a platform that promotes mutual trust and friendly relationship between the Police and the Youth in Lagos State.
Towards ensuring the vast majority of youth in the State are carried along in terms of policy formulation and implementation, the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund has organized one day program tagged “High Level Meeting With Young Policy Makers And Youth Leaders On Harnessing Demographic Dividend”at the State Treasury Office, Ikeja on Tuesday.
In her speech, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Pharm (Mrs) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu said “demographic dividend has become necessary because of the significant population changes Lagos State has gone through over the years.It is important to note that the population of youths in Lagos State which stands at approximately 10 million is the highest in the country.Consequently, the role of policymakers and youth leaders cannot be overemphasized in achieving a population structure that would add value to the economy of the State.”
According to the Permanent Secretary,it was the increase in population size accompanied by changes in age that resulted in the creation and eventual commissioning of the Demographic Dividend Initiative in 2015 with the objective to study the population status and determine the investment climate in the State that will bring about short and long term gains to residents of the State.
Pharm (Mrs) Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that “Lagos State has attained its First Demographic Dividend and on the path to achieving the second.The Roadmap and Profile was launched by Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget in October 2022.Young people in policy making and leadership positions are to be sensitized on their roles in achieving the Second Dividend.”
Head,UNFPA, Lagos State,Dr Somefun Esther noted that the international organization was collaborating with the State in pursuit of its mandate to invest in the youth that would in turn develop the nation.
Equipping the youth with requisite skills and providing them with opportunities are some of the things that the UNFPA has put in place to assist the youth, according to Dr Esther.
In their presentations, the facilitators,Mr Basit Baruwa(Deputy Director, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget)and Mr Ibrahim Oladimeji(UNFPA Representative) enlightened the participants on “Overview of the Demographic Dividend Profile and Roadmap” and “Youth Angle: Highlighting and Identifying Accelerators Towards Achieving Demographic Dividend In Lagos State” .
The duo pointed out the different ways the youth would be able to identify opportunities, collect and process data as well as utilizing Education, Empowerment and Employments (3Es) in harnessing demographic dividend in Lagos State.
The Lagos State Youth Ambassadors, Lagos Division under leadership of Amb. Shodunke Qudus organised the first edition of the “Eko Youth Summit” which took place on 20th, August, 2022 at the Impact Hub (LAGOS).
The “Eko Youth Summit” in honour of “World Youth Skills Day,” acknowledge the strategic importance of equipping young people with the skills necessary for employment, respectable work, and entrepreneurship.
The “Eko Youth Summit” offer a special chance of communication among young people, businesses, employers’ and workers’ organisations, technical and vocational education and training institutions, and policymakers.
PURPOSE: “Eko Youth Summit” will be placed to help address these challenges by reducing access barriers to the world of work, ensuring that skills gained are recognised and certified, and offering skills development opportunities for out-of-school youth and those not in employment, education or training.
TARGET AUDIENCE: 50 qualified Students (Penultimate, Finalist and Fresh Graduate Students in Lagos State) – Qualification will be based on application. THEME, DATE, VENUE AND TIME: The theme of the program is “Transforming Youth skills for the Future”
GOALS: We believe that by the time this project is finished, we will have not only discussed the problems that young people face every day, but also offered practical solutions.
We recognize the value of practice and innovation in addition to the importance of knowledge, which is why we will give at least 70% of these youths the opportunity to practice their preferred skills, whether online or in person.
We established connections between organizations and businesses interested in offering attendees of this event tutoring, mentoring, and internship opportunities, some of which will be in the fields of entrepreneurship, soft skills, and concurrent digital skills.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANCE: Given your unmatched passion for recognizing and rewarding excellence in all spheres of life, as well as your unwavering interest in and support for education, we feel it is essential to ask for your attendance at the event. We are confident that your presence will significantly inspire the students to work harder and perform brilliantly in all of their endeavours. The event promises to be not only fascinating but also educational and entertaining.
PERSONALITIES IN ATTENDANCE: MR. OLUSEGUN DAWODU, Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development (CHIEF HOST) HON.LEKAN FATODU, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (KEYNOTE SPEAKER) DR. HAKEEM ONASANYA, Special Adviser to the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) (GUEST SPEAKER)
HON ODUNUGA TUNDE (H.O.T.), Convener Uniting Forces (Fmr. UN Ambassador) (GUEST SPEAKER) TIMI OLAGUNJU, tech lawyer/ policy consultant (PANELIST) Dr. EKWOABA, Joy Onyinyechi, Lecturer, Department of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos, Nigeria. (PANELIST) DAMILOLA OYEDIRAN, Founder, Side Hustle.
(PANELIST) AMB. SOWEMIMO ABIODUN, CEO, CapitalMetriQ, InfoMetriQ/President Africa Chamber of Innovation (SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR) HON. OLANREWAJU SULEIMAN AFINNI (SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR) CHIEF GANIYU OLALEKAN BAKARE, Aro Oba Elegushi Of Ikate Kingdom & Environ (SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR)
The Lagos State Government is charting a new path for the youths in the State, as it kicked off the Y2022 Ibile Youth Academy designed to train the youths in different life skills towards ensuring that they are adequately prepared for a prosperous future while increasing their global competitiveness.
In his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the training programme held at the Onikan Youth Centre, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Olusegun Dawodu said the academy is all about helping young people chart a path for progressive and prosperous adult life.
According to him, “The Ibile Youth Academy is a leadership training platform designed to inculcate in young people the virtues of citizenship, leadership and volunteerism for the development of their personality, society, the state and by extension the nation. The leadership training will also ignite their personal development and transformation required for a bright future.”
Ikorodu Division
On her part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry. Pharm (Mrs.) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu stated that the Ibile Youth Academy was developed as another intervention aimed at addressing issues affecting the youths by offering various programmes that will build the overall capacities and competencies of the youths.
Ikeja Division
In her words: “The Academy emphasises learning strategies based on fun, play and teaching life skills rather than strict academic lessons. The training will also enable participants, particularly those disadvantaged or in the most need to reach their full potential as responsible citizens, by providing all necessary resources and inculcating in them, the will to succeed and receive recognition for their personal accomplishments”.
Reiterating the readiness of the Sanwo-Olu administration to continue to create an enabling environment for the teeming population of youths, the Permanent Secretary called on the Private Sector, NGOs and Philanthropists to partner with the State Government in the areas of mentorship, apprenticeship and employment to make the lives of the youth better.
Sponsored
In sharing their experiences, Miss. Funmilayo Akannishelle (outgoing State Youth Ambassador) and Mr Shodunke Qudus (outgoing Lagos Division Ambassador) disclosed that their participation in the Ibile Youth Academy (I.Y.A) had impacted positively their lives in various areas.
The duo, amongst other participants that testified to the transformation they got from the 2021 edition of the programme, said that Emotional Intelligence, Financial Management, Leadership Skills were some of the vital lessons that greatly imparted their lives during 2021 Ibile Youth Academy.
A State Youth Ambassador for Y2022″ will eventually emerge as well as Divisional Youth Ambassadors.
Sanwo-Olu commissioned Mini Stadium, Computerised Youth Centre yesterday during his working visit to Ikorodu to inspect State Government’s capital projects across the area.
The mini stadium, built with a semi-standard basketball court, was developed by the State’s Ministry of Youth Development. Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the President and member representing Ikorodu in the House of Representatives, Rep. Babajmi Benson, supported the stadium project by building spectators’ stands and the pitch.
The intervention, Sanwo-Olu said, are initiated to address growing social vices and create platform for young people to realise their potential in sports, education and vocational development.
The Governor said more youth centres were at various stages of completion in some areas across the State, including Badagry, Orile Agege, Isheri, Epe and Ikeja, pointing out that the objective was not to leave young people behind in development programmes of the Government.
He said: “The visit to Ikorodu today is to meet and engage with our citizens to see first-hand, how programmes and policies of our administration are touching and impacting lives. This visit comes with a package of treats for the youth, as I am pleased to deliver the newly completed Ikorodu Youth Centre here in Ita-Elewa. Also being commissioned is a mini stadium built by our Government.
“These youth-focused projects are to provide a conducive environment for sporting activities, while also catering for education needs and vocational development of our teeming youth population of Ikorodu and environs. With facilities like these ones, we hope to keep our young people off the streets and reduce social vices, such as drug abuse, prostitution and hooliganism.”
Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Segun Dawodu, listed other facilities in the mini stadium to include volleyball court, table tennis section, 200-capacity hall, snooker and pool table, fully-equipped gymnasium, ICT Centre with Internet, counselling section for wellness and people with drug and mental challenges.
Also, there is vocational section for training of youths in different vocations. The facility is powered by 250Kva generator.
AjasaInfo 