Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has averred that it would be difficult for youths who are financially unstable to advance the course of democracy.
According to him, there is the need for the private sector and non-governmental organisations to support the efforts of Tinubu’s administration to empower the Nigerian youths financially.
He stated this at the opening ceremony of a Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI) fellowship programme organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja on Monday.
“A generation of young people struggling to meet their basic financial needs are unlikely to be productive contributors to the advancement of democracy.
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“On the other hand, when young people are engaged in productive economic pursuits that can provide for their needs, they are better positioned to participate in politics and governance from a position of strength,” he said.
Gbajabiamila added that it is one of the reasons the Tinubu administration is determined to rebuild the foundations of the national economy, so that the country would become more attractive to the foreign and local capital needed to build essential public infrastructure, develop new industries, build communities and create sufficient numbers of well-paying jobs.
“When this is done, it will be easier for the government to meet the demands of the large and growing population of young people in our country,” he added.