Engage youths more to prevent future protests, ex-student leader tells Tinubu

The Vice President of the Institute of Business Development and former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Mr. Orkuma Hembe, has commended the socio-economic reforms put in place by President Bola Tinubu, saying that they are in the long-term best interests of the country.

Hembe in a press statement he personally signed and made available to PUNCH Online on Tuesday, however, urged the president to embrace a more direct approach to engaging Nigerians, especially youths, in mitigating the temporary side effects of the administration’s economic policies and preventing future anti-government protests.

He also commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, for her Skill-Up Artisans Programme which aims to create 10 million jobs for young Nigerians.

“The Skill-Up Artisans Programme and other job creation initiatives by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, which aims to generate 10 million jobs, are vital steps towards empowering Nigerian youths and fostering economic growth.

“The minister has also ensured the investment of $3.5m to unlock the textile and apparel industry, and the flag-off of the ‘light up campaign’ to boost the power situation for Small and Medium Size Enterprises in the country.

“In her quest to further put Nigeria on the map as a destination of choice for foreign and local investors, she has ignited seamless trade activities with policies to drive the ease of doing business in the country and expunged all possible bottlenecks affecting trade activities,” he said in the statement.

He also lauded other initiatives of the Tinubu-led administration aimed at creating wealth for Nigerians and cushioning the effect of the policies on fuel subsidy removal and floating of the Naira.

“The 3 Million Technical Talent (3 MTT) Programme by the Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, which is focused on developing technical skills and creating job opportunities, also demonstrates a significant contribution to addressing youth unemployment and driving technological advancement,” he added.