The Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria (GOGAN), an NGO has urged the Federal Government to prioritise youth empowerment to curb the increasing cases of suicide among youths in the country.
The Anambra Chairman of GOGAN, John-Bosco Onunkwo made the call at a capacity building workshop in Awka on Sunday tagged “Rededicating Our Youths To Rediscover their Root.”
Onunkwo, however, noted that suicide was not the way out to the perceived hardship, frustration and depression of the victims but only causes pain and brings stigma to friends and family members of the deceased.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari on his strides in fighting corruption, banditry, kidnapping and insurgency, but noted that urgent attention was needed to finding lasting solutions to the trending suicide menace.
Onunkwo, also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, further urged politicians and wealthy Nigerians to consolidate on the efforts of Buhari by building factories for employment.
According to him, the solution to unemployment in any society should be a shared responsibility and not for the government alone.
He also charged youths to embrace knowledge and equip themselves for leadership positions, noting that they have critical role to play in the development of the country.
“There is no excuse for any young person to continue thinking that they are waiting to become a leader, you are already leaders now, so work hard to rediscover your root,” he advised.
In his remarks, the State Chairman of APC, Chief Basil Ejidike urged youths to imbibe the virtues of love and enterprise capable of sparking-off significant changes in the nation’s social and economic development.
Ejidike said that the party would continue to partner with GOGAN on youth empowerment programmes in the state.
