Nathan Tamarapreye
A representative of Bayelsa Central at the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Miss Mary Torunana, on Wednesday asked Bayelsa youths to go beyond criticising government and proffer solutions for a better society.
Speaking during a town hall meeting at the Yenagoa Council Hall under the theme: “Youthful Conversations for a Better Society,” Torunana noted that NYP is disposed to creative ideas to make Bayelsa better despite its activities being affected and slowed down by COVID-19.
Three resource persons took turns to sensitise the youths on several opportunities available to youth empowerment in the country and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunities.
Executive Secretary, Bayelsa State Higher Educations Loans Board, Dr Michael Amaegberi, in his remarks said the Bayelsa government has empowered the board to offer interest free loans to indigent students of Bayelsa in public universities to finance their education.
He added that the policy which was initiated by the immediate past administration was backed by law to ensure continuity, adding that the current administration of Gov Douye Diri has continued to fund and support the scheme.
Amaegbori explained that the loan is repayable one year after the beneficiaries have completed their national youth service.
He said that the scheme presently caters for students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
According to him, efforts were underway to amend the law that established the board to accommodate studies in foreign institutions.
Dr Hephzibah Suobo, an official of the World Assembly of Youth (WAY), who represented the Vice President (Africa) of WAY, Mr Preye Ketebu-Brown noted that youths were critical in the development of every society.
He challenged youths from Bayelsa to take the front row in the global conversation about the environmental consequences of fossils fuel and carbon emission as Bayelsa has borne the brunt of oil exploration and production for about 60 years.
Also, Mr Ighosotu Kelvin a member of Nigerian Youth Parliament representing Delta Central Senatorial District highlighted opportunities in programmes by the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports and urged Bayelsa youths to key into them.
He noted that there were so many programmes designed by the federal government for youths but regretted that most youths were apprehensive and dissipated energy and time on social media and unproductive activities.
Kelvin said that 13, 000 youths from Bayelsa would benefit from the N75 billion Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, adding that youths from Bayelsa can only benefit from the fund if they apply.
He urged the state government to assist the youths with capacity building programmes to prepare youths to meet the criteria to qualify for the scheme.
The youths later created two groups to examine issues confronting Bayelsa with a view to finding and proffering workable solutions.
The first group would examine education and security while the second group would look into health and environment challenges with a view to generate ideas and providing solutions on how best government would approach the challenges.