by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, Arch. Samuel Jatua, has called for unity among youths in the state, notwithstanding religious or tribal affiliations.
“The two things killing us in the state are tribe and religion,” he observed, and called on all to embrace each other, “whether you are a Muslim or Christian.”
He was speaking during the celebration of two years of ‘Youth Friendly Leadership’ on Thursday in Government House, Little Reyfield Jos, which was organised by Youth and Sports Committee.
Speaking earlier the Commissioner for Youths and Sport Development, Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms, explained that, “Today, we come together to commemorate not just two years of a transformative journey under the Administration of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, but also to refocus on our collective mission, harnessing the power of our youths for the prosperity, peace, and progress of Plateau State.
“Governor Mutfwang has displayed not only vision but genuine commitment to youth development, and has planted seeds that are already bearing fruit.
‘The future belongs to those, who prepare for it today,’ said the great Malcolm X. “The future is now, and Plateau youths are being prepared.”
The Commissioner added that, there is a laudable arrangement of empowerment through agriculture with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan to train 10,000 youths in tranches.
According to him, “With agriculture being the new oil, this initiative strategically positions our young people to not just be farmers, but agripreneurs solution providers in food security.
Hon. Musa Ashoms revealed that, thousands of youths will soon be engaged in productive and profitable agriculture through the BARC Farm Youth Project, which is positioning Plateau State as a center for agri-business innovation and food processing.
The commissioner further stated that, “The Technology and Global Exposure, through the leadership of the Federal Minister of Digital Economy, arrangements have been made to establish an Outsourcing and Technology Hub in Jos.
“This will be housed at the “Standard Building Jos” after it has been refurbished and remodelled to create a global outsourcing avenue for our tech-savvy youths to connect to markets worldwide and earn across-borders in digital services and products,” he stated.
On another project, known as ‘Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone’ (SAPZ), Ashoms explained that, “This is not just another project; it is a dream carved in concrete a zone that will create a marketplace for our young farmers, attracting off-takers to continually support the value-chain. Plateau will not only produce, but process and export.”
He also noted that, “Leadership and Patriotic Training of 250 Plateau youths are currently undergoing intense training at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, in Shere Hills, Lamingo. This is how we forge bold, ethical, and responsible youth leaders of tomorrow, molded today.
On ‘Youth Exposure Strategy,’ he said, “Governor Mutfwang understands that exposure is empowerment. That is why our administration will be sponsoring young Plateau citizens to travel across Nigeria and beyond for workshops, seminars, and global events, to see, learn, and grow. Growth comes through experience, and we will ensure that opportunity is within reach,” he noted.
Youth Inclusion in Governance: “Never in Plateau’s history has youth governance participation been this high. Under Governor Mutfwang inclusive governance drive, 65 percent of key appointments have gone to young people. We are not just being spoken to; we are being given the microphone.
“Similarly, our growth as youths has no meaning unless it is tied to the development of our communities, our local economies, and our state. That is why we must rise not just to demand change, but to build it with our minds, hands, and hearts.
“The expansion of the State Farm Projects to engage at least 20,000 youths in agriculture and agro-industrial chains: Full activation of sports development centers across all zones in the state to discover and nurture talent. More international exchange programs, partnerships, and scholarships with global institutions to elevate our best.
“A Digital Literacy Roadmap that will skill-up 100,000 young Plateau people in coding, robotics, data science, AI, and block-chain, cementing Jos as the Silicon Valley of the Middle-Belt through tech hubs, innovation centers, and legislation that supports youth startups,” Ashoms stated.
“As long as this government stands, the youth shall rise, and they will be at the center of progress and policy. As long as the sun rises over the hills of Plateau, we will not stop until every youth stands tall, capable, enterprising, digitally-aware, agriculturally-productive, mentally-inspired, and globally-competitive,” he affirmed.