At the sensitisation seminar tagged Ignite Sparkling Passion & Purpose, indigenous youths, parents and stakeholders in Lagos State were charged by the state government to close the wide gap of south west youth enlistment into the Nigerian Armed Forces & Police.
Newsconnect reports that Ministry of Special Duties & Inter-governmental relations in collaboration with Federal Government Agencies said going by data, it is obvious the state enlisting its youth into the Nigerian Armed Forces is very very low, hence, the sensitisation seminar is necessary and timely.
The essence of the sensitisation according to the Chairman House Committee on Special Duties & Intergovernmental Relations in Lagos State House of Assembly Hon Dr Rauf OLawale Sulaiman is to wake and integrate members of the community and the people into that national call.
The Honourable Commissioner for Lagos State Government Ministry of Special Duties & Inter-governmental relations Hon Gbenga Oyerinde in an interview with Newsconnect correspondence at the event said part of what they have identified that has been causing challenges to our youths unemployment . In solving that problem, they have identified the lacuna of having seen youth rejecting an employment route relating to enrolment into military, police force and paramilitary.
In his own words he said;
“In that wise, the onus rest on us, as a ministry, who carry out a mandate having to liase with all government agency at the Federal level, and even at a state level to ensure that we Sensitise the youths and the public to encourage their wards and guardians to take due advantage of this privilege so that we don’t lose our chances as Lagosians.
“Part of the reasons we have been shortchanged is not farfetched from things like this. People not having the knowledge of pockets of opportunities that are there for them in public space.
“Imn addition you would know that the student loan, majority of our people from the west have equally not tapped into the idea. They are being lackaidescical, not tapping from the advantage.
“We are a proud people as Yoruba, as Lagosians. Sometimes we say how can I take loan to sponsor my ward.
“That is not it. This is a government program that would help to ameliorate the sufferings of our people. You can invest that money in other route, that is the situation we are having.
“The youth too have to take that courage, there is no profession that doesn’t have hazard, until when you get there.
“Even the civil service work we do there is a great hazard, it is not justin the military . We should not limit the growth of our youths, going forward we want to see a large scale of youths enrolling for this program.
“There are gallant officers in public space that would discuss issues of interests, that you too would give a standing ovation as a military personnel and even in the police.
“We shouldn’t limit the growth of our youths, we want them to catch on this opportunity, and going forward we want to see a large scale of youth enrollment in the Nigerian Armed Foces & Police.