The National Youth Council of Nigeria, led by its President, Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, has commended the Honourable Minister Sunday Dare, for his innovative resourcefulness that has resulted in the establishment and approval of the N75 Billion naira National Youth Investment Found (NYIF) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister, ably represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Gabriel Aduda, while receiving the National Youth Executives at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, noted that the NYCN has taken a bold and commendable step to thank Mr President on the establishment of the NYIF. He stated that the Memo on the establishment of the fund was thoroughly debated and it enjoyed an overwhelming support by members of the Federal Executive Council. This gesture is to enable the teeming population of the Nigerian youth to be economically motivated for sustainability.
Mr Dare added that it is important to go beyond empowering the youth into investing in the youth of Nigeria with a common pulse that supports entrepreneurship and small businesses as well as provide the environment for youth to fly with their ideas. He stated that the 75Billion naira will come in three trenches between now and 2023 nothing that Mr President has given directives to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning alongside the Central Bank Governor to source for the money.
According to the Minister, the Ministry through the Technical/Steering Committees that shall be put in place,which will include the youths, shall be working on modalities to enable Nigerian youth have access to the fund and pay back within a short period with not more than 1 digit interest rate.
He implored the youth to come up with innovative ideas that could lead to wealth/job creation and which can as well achieve any of the 9 cardinal goal of the present administration.
The President, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, in his response, expressed gratitude to the Honourable Minster whose supervision in the youth constituency has recorded massive positive developments including the National Youth Investment Fund recently approved by Mr President. Sukubo noted that Nigerian youth have experienced a breath of fresh air and hope is kept alive owing to the visionary foresight of the Minister for the growth of the youth of this country.
‘To all my fellow Nigerian youths, it is a new dawn for us, the sound of hope echoes in the air. The long awaited dream has become a reality and I can testify that there is a song of joy in our lips, he said.
In his vote of thanks, the Hon. Commissioner for Pan Africa Union in Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Oladele, thanked President Buhari for the economic empowerment by creating this National Youth Investment Fund for the Nigerian youth and other programmes of the ministry on social media to keep the youths off the streets.
He however made a call to the President to kindly direct all youths related activities and programmes scattered in other Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to be redeployed and warehoused in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for proper coordination.
Olatunji John
ACIO
For: Director (Press)
