19th July, 2017
The Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum (NENYLF) on Wednesday, commended the leadership of the coalition of Northern Youths and Ohaneze Youth Council for dousing ethnic tension in the country.
The forum made the commendation in an 8-point communiqué at the end of its meeting and read by the President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Mr Oweikemi Pereotubo in Abuja on Wednesday.
The communiqué said the meeting was informed by the willingness of the Nigerian youths to debate the possibility of avoiding conflicts that might emerge in the country.
“There’s no gain emphasising the obvious that the challenges confronting the country are enormous, which if not timely identified and addressed, may truncate the peaceful coexistence of its various units.
“We also want the Federal and State Governments to set the mechanism in motion toward restructuring the country in line with true and fiscal federalism and devolution of powers,’’ the forum said.
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According to NENYLF, the mechanism becomes necessary ‘’to accommodate all the interest groups, regions and the citizens”.
The forum also advocated participation in the governance at the ratio of 50 per cent appointed positions, from state to Federal levels.
The forum, however, called on the Federal Government to increase effort in addressing the various challenges in the states such as the killings and clashes between the herdsmen and farmers.
“The government should ensure the killing stopped because, by the time it continues, it could bring anarchy.’’
The youth leaders, however, appealed to the Federal Government to reinforce its executive order issued to international oil companies to relocate their offices to their operational base.
They also called on the government to open up all the existing sea ports across the country to boost the economy and create employment opportunity for the teeming youths.
Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum (NENYLF) comprises of youths from various ethnic groups across the country.