Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio-Ibrahim has disclosed that ministry needed more funds to function effectively.
In a statement signed by Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, Maryam Umar Yusuf, she disclosed this today in Abuja when the leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) visited her.
She said there was the need for the Ministry to be adequately funded as it was currently short of funds.
She explained that the Ministry was in need of extra budgetary funding, adding that she started working in that direction since her assumption of office.
According to her, the ministry would engage relevant youth bodies in any decision-making process.
She lamented that her meeting with the council was long overdue hence, it was due to the delay to her desire to adequately make preparations to attend to their demands.
According to her, “the Ministry is very mindful not to sell the message of falsehood to the youth as the trust between government and the young people has long been broken.”
She said the Ministry had made plans to take proactive measures to ensure that trust was built, stressing that building such trust must be built on the foundation of sincerity and transparency.
Assuring the council that she was not out to disappoint the President for appointing her as minister, she said “Mr President has not made a mistake by appointing me, I assure you that I came prepared, I understand the challenges confronting the youth because I am one of you.”
While speaking on the review of the National Youth Policy Committee she said, “The list of its membership is undergoing some adjustments which will include sixty per cent for the youths and forty per cent for the older generation, as the youth can not do it alone.”
On the National Youth Investment Fund, Bio-Ibrahim said that disbursement has presently been put on hold at her behest so as to study the entire scheme and probably make some input before continuing.
On his part, President, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo said the visit was to draw her attention to their grievances with the ministry as the apex body of all the youths in Nigeria.
Sukubo noted that despite their mandates as the apex body, the desired recognition had never been accorded them even though they were the ones who fought for the creation of Youth Ministry which led to the demerger of former Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
He said the council wants the Ministry to carry them along when drafting the Ministry’s budget, and there should be adequate flow of information between them and the Ministry, as well as getting them fully involved in the implementation of programmes.
