ABUJA – The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) says it will partner media executives on boosting young peoples’ participation in governance.
The National Secretary of the forum, Mr Nuhu Atta, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that the meeting was scheduled for Aug. 30 in Lagos.
Atta said that the proposed meeting would canvass the support of the media in projecting the forum’s vision on the issue of young peoples’ participation in governance.
He said that the meeting would be held over dinner at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, with all heads of media organisations and other stakeholders in the industry.
“We want the media to buy into the vision and also help to sell it to the Nigerian public; we want to carry the media along in our quest for generational shift in governance.
“We intend to foster good collaboration with the media in making sure that young people get their rightful places in governance in Nigeria. [eap_ad_1] “Recently the president talked about pushing a bill to the National Assembly to seek the removal of age barrier to young people’s participation in governance,’’ said the scribe
According to him, more people need to key into the vision with a view to moblising young people with new ideas to move the country forward.
President Goodluck Jonathan had, at the recent summit by NYPF, called for a review of laws that impose age restrictions on young people seeking elective positions.
“The youths have no limit in terms of number and capacity to lead this country to greatness.
“The only limit is that for youths to contest as president, they need to be 40.
“If Gen. Yakubu Gowon was able to rule this country at 32, there is no reason why the youths should not be given the chance.
“I think what the youth should do now is to come together, and I will support you, and take a bill to the National Assembly to amend some discriminatory provisions of the constitution in terms of age,’’ Jonathan had said.
The president had described the provision of age limit as discriminatory against young Nigerians, who had the energy, ideas and other qualities to lead the country to greatness. (NAN)
[eap_ad_4]
