Some stakeholders on youth empowerment on Wednesday called for revival of moribund industries to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in Enugu state.
The call was made in a communique signed by Mr Sola Folayan, Programme Coordinator, Westminister Foundation for Democracy, Nigeria, after a three-day workshop on `Inclusion of Young People in Governance and Decision Making in Nigeria’.
The statement read in part: “That the Enugu State House Committee on Commerce and Industry should maintain appropriate Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) that will guarantee sound commercial activities and the establishment of new industries.
“The committee should also work hard in reviving of moribund industries such as Uzo-Uwani rice mill, EVOP, Hotel Presidential, Niger Steel, Niger Gas, Enugu Cashew Industry, etc,’’ it said.
The stakeholders also called on the State House of Assembly to ensure that the state Ministry of Agriculture make fertilisers, improved seedlings, pesticides and herbicides available and affordable to farmers on annual basis.
It called on the assembly to convene a public hearing on a legislation on the development, revamping and resuscitation of tourist centres across the state.
“There should be revamping of tourists sites such as the Eziagu Waterfall, Ezimo Waterfall, Aki Cave in Nkalagu, Adada stream and Ibagwa Aka (both located at Igboeze South Local Government Area) etc.
“This is to attract tourists from all over the world, thereby creating jobs for youths in the state,’’ it said.
The stakeholders urged the assembly to make stringent laws that would deter youths from venturing into illicit businesses, adding that there should be a resolution that would ensure that the ministry of information sensitized youths on the dangers of illicit businesses.
According to the statement, the assembly, through the committee on appropriation, should allocate more funds to state Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction that will lead to job creation as well.
The 40 youths drawn from educational institutions, youth-based NGOs, civil societies and community-based organisations in the state attended the three-day workshop.
The workshop, with the theme: “Meeting on State Youth Agenda Setting for Good Governance’’, was organised by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Nigeria.
