12th August, 2020
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday celebrated the international Youth Day with a call on youths to key into the vision of a “Greater Lagos” being championed by the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Addressing a group of Youth during this year’s celebration at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja with the theme “Engaging Youth for Global Action,” Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Segun Dawodu stated that the celebration provided an opportunity to celebrate the youth and appreciate young people’s actions and initiatives.
Highlighting the theme for this year’s celebration “Engaging Youth for Global Action”, the Commissioner noted that the theme for this year’s celebration seeks to show the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes.
According to him “when the youths are engaged at community, local or state level, they develop the skills needed to be effective leaders and make outstanding impacts”.
Dawodu noted that the Lagos State Government realised that when youths are supported and strengthened, they will be able to contribute to the development of the nation, hence the formulation and launching of the Lagos State Youth Policy which is centred around youth development as well as the facilitation of the Child Right’s Law.
The Commissioner also stated that the Ministry has inaugurated the 4th Legislative Assembly of the Lagos State Youth Parliament, 6th children Parliament as a training platforms for inclusivity and participatory governance as well as successfully organised the 3rd edition of the IBILE Youth Academy which is designed to inculcate in the youth the flair for personal development and transformation required for a brighter future.
Dawodu, however, enjoined the youths in Lagos to key into the vision of a “Greater Lagos” through the T.H.E.M.E.S Development agenda of the administration of Sanwo-Olu.
“I believe as we key into this vision and engaged at the local and state levels, we will be able to achieve global action on challenges currently facing humanity such as poverty, unemployment, Covid19 Outbreak, climate change amongst others” the Commissioner averred.
Dawodu, thanked Lagos Youths for supporting the efforts to redefine National Youth Council of Nigeria Lagos State Chapter while rolling out his inputs in stabilizing the youth initiatives.
He acknowledged that the new executives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria Lagos State Chapter are working together to bridge the gap.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Yetunde Falugba in her remarks, urged the youths to be worthy ambassadors wherever they find themselves, noting that their contributions is important in the quest to achieving a “Greater Lagos”.
She, therefore, urged them to participate fully in the activities that have been lined up by the Ministry in conjunction with other organizations.
The celebration was marked with the cutting of a commemorative cake to herald the international Youth Day. Present at the event were members of the National Youth Council (Lagos State Chapter), Lagos State Youth Parliament, Lagos State Youth Ambassadors, Youth leader of the Lagos State All Progressive Congress(APC).
The international Youth Day is celebrated every 12th of August to draw the attention of governments and other stakeholders to issues affecting young people worldwide.