Katsina Govt Reaffirms Commitment To Expanding Opportunities For Youths

Katsina State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding opportunities for young people as stakeholders move to align the state’s youth development strategy with Nigeria’s National Youth Policy.

The assurance was given by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Engineer Surajo Abukur, during a youth policy dialogue held in Katsina.

The dialogue brought together about 55 participants drawn from government institutions, youth-led organisations and civil society groups to examine policy gaps and outline steps for the domestication of the National Youth Policy at the state level.

Speaking during the engagement, Abukur said the state government remains committed to youth empowerment, job creation, and ensuring young people’s participation in decision-making processes.

“The Katsina State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, remains committed to youth empowerment, job creation and the participation of young people in decision-making processes.

“As the ministry responsible for youth development, we will continue to support initiatives that contribute to building effective policies and empowering young people for the development of Katsina State and the wider society,” he said.

Meanwhile, the engagement began with an advocacy visit to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on March 11, where discussions focused on the current direction of youth policy development in the state and how the dialogue workshop could support the ministry’s ongoing efforts.

The policy dialogue was organised under the Youth Leading Change Programme, implemented by the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI), with support from the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund.

Director of Youth Development at the ministry, Alhaji Sani Yahaya, said the state had since 2023 begun the process of domesticating the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security with support from the United Nations Development Programme.

He noted that the framework is expected to be formally launched after Ramadan, after which broader consultations would commence on the domestication of the National Youth Policy.

Participants at the dialogue also discussed issues affecting young people in the state, including youth participation in governance, access to education and skills development, employment opportunities and inclusive development. They also outlined priority steps to strengthen youth policy processes and deepen collaboration between government and youth organisations.