The amalgamated Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (CAN), a non-profit, non-governmental, anti-corruption organisation, has called for the inclusion of the youthful Nigerian population into governance.
The call is coming as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is about to constitute his cabinet and other organs of government since assuming the mantle of leadership.
The amalgamated CSOs/NGOs said they are joining the clarion call by opinion leaders, traditional rulers, women groups, youth groups and well-meaning Nigerians, that the time of using recycled politicians, failed or disgruntled politicians, is over, as the group observed that the nation was full of youthful technocrats and bureaucrats with a lot of energy that are eagerly waiting to contribute their quota to National Development.
The CAN solicited for the cooperation of the present administration to look beyond former governors, ministers and people that have hitherto brought Nigeria to where it is today.
The group rather urged President Tinubu to look for viable, virile, professional and youths presently occupying the various offices nationwide and continue to engage them, instead of using worn-out, fatigued and corrupt leaders that have brought the country to its knees.
In a press release, the National President of the Amalgamated CSOs of Nigeria (CAN), Comrade Gbenga Ashiru Abiodun and its General Secretary, Comrade Yakubu Abdullahi, posited that “the continued usage of old hands will not augur well for the country, knowing full well that, most of them are facing graft issues and corruption allegations over their necks.”
The group added that, again, “age was not on their side as they no longer have what it takes to preside over 21st Century organizations, as they are fatigued and too old to take modern decisions capable of bringing the desired change.”
The amalgamated CSOs said President Tinubu was a change agent who is fixed on changing the country. Therefore, he should work with the youthful population, comprising both male and female, to change the narrative on ground as well as look at the possibility of using proactive youths, presently occupying positions of authority who are already doing well with or without supervision.
According to the anti-corruption organisation, they want government to make use of the youths, to enable them head strategic positions in the present administration. They equally appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the President to tow this line that will bring an overall socio-economic development of the nation.
The CSOs noted that the youths are already playing a significant role in governance, because “65 per cent of Nigeria’s population is under 25. Therefore, we need to prioritize the affairs of the youthful population like never before. They also echoed that, “the collaborative efforts between generations are vital to achieving a sustainable effective and efficient governance that serves the collective interest of all.”
The amalgamated group noted that “fresh and viable young people bring fresh perspective to issues and matters that affect the generality of Nigerian,” adding that, the youthful population of people in governance presently can also be taking into cognizance as most of them are doing extremely well, “like the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi and others who are daily changing the narrative in their respective endeavours and have become Nigerian youth ambassadors globally, for making efforts to change from below, under him, the organisation has been repositioned and rebranded.”
