By Angela Okeke
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of the initiatives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the agricultural sector to become self-employed, employers of labour and to improve the country’s food system.
Princess Orelope-Adefulire who said this in a statement she issued to mark the 2021 International Youth Day stated that with the youths making up a large percentage of the country’s population, Nigeria cannot attain food sufficiency and or conquer hunger as set out in goal one of the 2030 Agenda without their efforts.
International Youth Day is observed on August 12 every year for governments and citizens to recognize and bring attention to the socio-economic and socio-political issues facing the youth in every country. This year’s theme as selected by the UN is, “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.”
Princess Orelope-Adefulire said the theme of this year’s event is a challenge to Nigerian youths to explore their innovativeness for transformation of the country’s food system in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way.
She urged the youths to explore the initiatives of President Muhammadu Buhari across the agriculture value chain being implemented by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, as well as their state and local governments to make this happen.
Princess Orelope-Adefulire also revealed that the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, OSSAP-SDGs in demonstration of its commitment to the empowerment and welfare of Nigerian youths has been tackling their challenges with life skill development programme which involves construction of well-equipped skill acquisition centres across the country and other initiatives.
The Presidential Adviser also urged youths to avoid destructive tendencies like drug abuse and involvement in violence while joining hands with the Buhari’s government to build a better Nigeria.
