We are taking steps to tackle unrest in Abuja – Minister
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, has revealed that the administration is taking steps to tackle youth restiveness that resulted in looting and destruction of government facilities in the territory.
The minister who disclosed this during a virtual stakeholders’ meeting, also called on critical stakeholders to embark on strategic sensitization of residents across the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory.
She used the occasion to commend Kuje youths for their efforts in repelling the hoodlums who attempted to disrupt the peace in their community while calling on other youths from all area councils to be vigilant and continue to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
The minister stated that the FCT Administration through its Social Development Secretariat had set-up data desks aimed at collating the data of the youth across all area councils, adding that the data collated would help to identify the needs of the youth with a view to engaging them.
She further said: “because all area councils have peculiar demands, these Data Desks will be designed to serve individual area councils according to their needs and demands. However, whatever decision is going to be made by the administration, we will include inputs from all stakeholders as this will make us serve residents better”.
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While speaking on School Feeding Programme, Aliyu stated that her office has been working on training the indigenous women and youth of the FCT on how they could handle the school feeding programme so that they have more control over what and how their children are fed.
A statement by her Special Assistant Media Austine Elemue, the minister, however, assured that measures have been put in place by the Social Development Secretariat to engage the youths and women in vocational training, just as she tasked all stakeholders to work towards identifying vocal youths and setting structures for leadership positions.
In their various contributions, stakeholders commended the FCT Minister of State for recognizing the role of critical stakeholders in governance, just as they pledged to assist the administration to achieve peaceful co-existence in the territory.
On his part, Sen. Usman Jibrin Wowo, urged the Social Development Secretariat to set-up a platform that would allow the FCT Administration to constantly interact with the key leadership of the youth on the need to ensure peace and cohesiveness in their communities, adding that such a platform would also help the youth understand the direction and policies of the government.
While calling on the FCT Administration to better equip the SDS to ensure that they carry out their mandate, stakeholders also advocated for a physical town hall meeting to discuss some burning issues since the country is gradually easing out of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Those who participated in the virtual meeting include Sen.Usman Jibrin Wowo, Hon. Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, Hon. Bako Angulu, Hon. Musa Dikko, Hon. Danladi Zhin, Engr. Adamu Amako, among others.
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