Taraba youths move to curb insecurity, organizes summit
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
As part of efforts to curb insecurity in Taraba State and prevent violence in the forth coming general elections, the Taraba Youth Council – Nigeria (TYCN) had organized a one day symposium in commemoration of Taraba State at 31st.
The summit which was anchored on the theme; “The role of youths in the sustenance of peace, security and development in Taraba State” was also aimed at uniting youths of the state towards forming a powerful force that could stand against all vices that breads violence in their communities and beyond.
Addressing participants at the occasion, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku who was represented by the Commissioner of Youth and Sport, Hon. Hassan Bapa, commended the leadership of TYCN for their uncommon resilience towards fostering unity among youths and directing their affairs in the state.
The governor pointed out that youths are assets to the development of every nation as such, he would continue to invest in their education to make them continue to be useful in the state.
“We have made significant investments towards proper upbringing of youths in the state. We have provided infrastructures, instructional materials and employment for more qualify teachers in both Primary and Secondary Schools across the state.
” We have also given employment opportunities for the young people in the Taraba State Civil Service. We have trained many young people in practical skills like sewing, welding, vulcanizing, hairdressing and computer operations among many others”. He stated.
The governor who challenged youths in the state to shun banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes pledged that his administration would continue to support the patriotic initiatives of TYCN to bring about peace and security which are necessary conditions for rapid development in the state and beyond.
He further encouraged youths to consciously better themselves by learning how to use technology adding that in the modern Knowledge- based economy, those with a broad understanding of computer and software have better chances of succeeding and remaining relevant.
The Taraba State Commissioner of Police, SP Abimbola Sokoya who was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, SP Abdullahi Usman, in a paper presentation, described youths as the back bones of community policing and veritable tools for positive change as well as the guardians of what the society produced.
He wondered while youths have relegated all good morals to the background and surprisingly turned up to be the problem of the society rather than instruments for peace keeping and leadership style as it used to be back then in 1980s.
He challenged youth to retrace their missing paths inorder to regain their glories in the society, insisting that they must cultivate the spirit of hardworking and shun tribalism, illicit drugs and politics of thuggery else, they may build a peaceful society and have it abundantly but would not be able to sustain it.
The Head of Department, Peace and Conflict Resolutions, Taraba State University Jalingo, Dr. Julious Ngomba, called on Nigerian leaders to create job opportunities and make ways for youths to also hold leadership positions to enable them form part of decision making in the country.
He added that it is only when the governments considered investing heavily in education and finding the root causes of crises through peaceful resolutions that the state could talk about sustainable peace and development.
In a good will message, the Chief of Sanwi, His Royal Highness, Haniel Henleweni Banti also pointed out that, sustainable peace and development demands that youth must be included in governance.
The Royal father however, frowned at the manner in which some youth of nowadays, indulge in social vices thus, jeopardizing the chances of youths in the leadership of the country and urged them to take time and go on serious introspection.
He encouraged youths to avoid violence of all kinds even as he condemned the ongoing killings in Southern Taraba which he maintained that youths were the major players in the killings.
Also in their separate goodwill messages, the representatives of DSS, NSCDC, Emigration Service, Taraba State Correctional Service and National Peace Corps, all encouraged the youths to shun political thuggery and other vices that are capable of truncating the peace being enjoyed in the state.
Earlier in his welcome address, Comr. Hikon Atoshi, Chairman Taraba Youth Council-Nigeria, emphasized that Peace has no substitute hence, TYC-Nigeria in the state under his leadership would not rest on its oars towards making pragmatic efforts to build youth as peace ambassadors in the state.
Atoshi who emphasized that no development can thrive in atmosphere of chaos, commended the security agencies in the state for their doggedness toward maintenance of peace and order in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
He however, condemned the recent killings in the Southern part of the state and appealed to the security agencies to beam their search light in the affected areas to bring perpetrators of the heinous act to book.
The Chairman applauded the Taraba State Government under the leadership of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, for the various efforts taken towards reducing youth restiveness in the state.
“I want to state here clearly that no government of Taraba State has employed youths more than the Government of His Excellency, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku. I therefore, use this opportunity to call on you to reciprocate this kind gesture by giving this government peace, so that we can attract more developments. We must join hands with the government to fish out the bad eggs among us who refused to change and we must avoid all social vices including political thuggery and kidnapping among others”. He added.
Meanwhile, the occasion also witnessed presentation of award of peace to the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku by the Taraba Youth Council-Nigeria.
