by nnakaihe friday
Published on: May 17, 2005
Topic:
Type: Opinions

The essence of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is to bring about a world where hunger, corruption, bad leadership, etc. are eliminated. It is also, a world where all the essential needs of man are provided. The issue is that such a vision can be realized right now, even on this planet earth if we put “all hands on deck”.

Here in Nigeria, the youth can help in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and they can do that in the following ways:

Nigerian Youth should form groups or organizations through which they can advance their objectives. Such groups can be used as the platform to source funds through which can cover the group member’s activities.

Our youth have to go all out in informing and enlightening those in the corridors of power on their roles and duties towards making the vision a reality. The youth have to make the leaders understand what the Millennium Development Goals are all about and how they can be achieved.

The youth should liaise with those that make and execute the policies of the Nigerian Government with a view to ensure a reasonable amount of money is allocated to core ministries like Education, Health, Agriculture, Water, etc. Nigeria’s youth also, have to ensure that the money allocated to ministries is used for what it is meant for and not diverted or misappropriated

The youth should also lobby the legislature in order for it to pass and make laws that will enable the realization of the MDGs. Complimenting the effort of the Government by helping sensitize the people on the development needs of Nigeria will help towards making the MDG vision a reality.

To take care of the unfortunate ones that couldn’t pass through the walls of an institution of higher learning, Nigerian youth, with the help of the government, should set up and manage Skill Acquisition Centres. Here people will be trained on how to sew clothes, make cosmetics, drive vehicles and will be taught on what the Millennium Development Goals are and how they can assist the government in seeing them actualized. There should also be training to learn the skills of community health workers, farmers, carpenters, masons, etc. These Skill Acquisition Centres will be geared towards making people self-reliant, thus, eradicating poverty and unemployment, which are the main visions of the Millennium Development Goals.

Youth should be both sensitive and vocal, criticizing the government constructively. Youth have to persuade the judiciary to remain a watchdog over other organs of government to ensure good governance and ensure that both those elected and those appointed into positions of authority are qualified for the office.

Finally, the Millennium Development Goals are very viable if the youth know their numbers, layers of ability and own working towards the actualization of the dream.


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