Group issues 7-days ultimatum to NEDC on youth marginalisation

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The Northeast Alliance for Good Governance has called on the federal government to investigate the North East Development Commission (NEDC) over alleged exclusion of youth in development efforts in the sub-region.

Chairman of the group, Ambassador Auwal Gotal and the Secretary Comrade Abdullahi Ibrahim made this known in press statement signed respectively by the duo in Bauchi, issued to journalists in Bauchi on Monday.

According to the group, the Commission had failed to address the marginalization and exclusion of young persons from the developmental agenda of the Northeast region.

“Youth have no option than to take legal action or to go for peaceful demonstration to notify the federal government and authorities concerned of our stand on the lapses of the commission to upgrade the life situation of their youth,” it stated

“We hereby give the Northeast Development Commission a 7-days ultimatum to respond to our demands and take concrete actions towards youth inclusion in the development process”

The warned that if their demands were not considered within the time frame, they would take drastic action within the seven days from today (Monday September 18, 2023).

 It warned that it would not hesitate to also initiate a shutdown of the commission’s offices of operations across the six states of the Northeast.

The group explained that the decision was a necessary step to emphasize that it was as a matter of urgency to look into their demands.

“Our demands are clear and we are calling on the commission to create a platform with plan for youth inclusion that enables them to make a tangibles impact on the development of our lives and region,” it stated.

“As initially envisioned when the commission was established, we insisted to see the meaningful transformation and educational empowerment for the youth, to commensurate with the substantial budgetary allocations made annually”

The group emphasized that the youth of the region could no longer tolerate the status quo of exclusion and inaction.

“The time for change is now, and the Northeast Development Commission must act swiftly and decisively to address the region problems,” it stated.

They hoped that this ultimatums would serve as a wake-up call to the Commission, and remain open to constructive dialogue with the youth in the region to resolve the involved “issues amicably within the stipulated time frame”