From Taofeek Surdiq, Ado-Ekiti
The Senator, representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District at the upper legislative chamber, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has declared that the 10th Senate to be inaugurated in June will play complementary role for the actualisation of the well- articulated youth programmes of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Bamidele, who was reelected during the February 25 National Assembly Elections, expressed delight that the 25% annual budgetary proposal by Tinubu to youth intervention programmes and the education loan, would go a long way in tackling joblessness and poverty among Nigerian productive population.
Bamidele, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, explained that he had in the last four years invested several millions of naira to develop youths in his senatorial district through vocational and entrepreneurial training to boost their contributions to economic development.
The lawmaker spoke in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend while addressing youths from his senatorial district, said the president-elect when fully come into power would expose the youths to entrepreneurial and money-spinning venture.
He said the president-elect would organise several programmes that would be predominantly centred around vocational development training, capacity building for youth in agricultural value chain, capacity building training for youth and women in aquaculture as well as capacity building training in post harvest loss control.
Lamenting on what he called the spiraling and geometric increase in youth unemployment in the country, saying this has become a snag to leaders at all levels of governance, disclosed that the President-elect is coming to tackle this challenge and return dignity to the Nigerian youths.
The Senator added that era when youths were being treated with scorn and disdain was over with Tinubu’s victory at the presidential poll, assuring that youth development will occupy the centrestage under the incoming administration at the Federal level.
Bamidele appealed to the youths to have unshaking confidence in the ability of the incoming All Progressives Congress-led government under Tinubu to bring the long eluded succour that would launch them back to reckoning in the country.
The Federal lawmaker said; “Since 1999, budgetary provisions to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development had been abysmal at both state and federal levels. This largely contributed to the level of unemployment and the relegation of the youth population.
“But with Tinubu’s ascendancy, all these will be addressed properly. The President -elect promised 25% of our budgetary estimate will be allotted to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to undertake all manners of intervention programmes that will empower our youths and make them relevant.
“Most importantly, he had promised that part of his mission is to establish an Education Loan for students to have access to funds to complete their education. This is one area of focus that will mitigate school dropouts and shore up our literacy level.
“I am convinced that the 10th Senate when inaugurated will key into this lofty and soul-lifting agenda. Focusing on our youths is one issue that is staring all of us in the face and I am convinced that the Tinubu’s agenda will address this adequately”.
The APC chieftain added further that his constituents won’t regret reelecting him, saying he would rev the pedal of development in the area when inaugurated, by playing complementary roles to Tinubu and Governor Biodun Oyebanji youth-driven policies at the federal and state levels.
