From Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The Gombe State Network of Civil Society (GONET), has steered the interest of critical stakeholders towards addressing the plight of youths in Gombe State.
The network, which separately engaged youths on the first day and then critical policy makers within the communities and Government circles on the second day, held a robust interaction as part of activities marking the 2025 International Youth Day.
The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Local Youth Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and Beyond”, also had a sub theme in Gombe: “Empowering Gombe Youth – Driving Local Action, Shaping Global Impact for a Sustainable Future”.
In Gombe State, youths restiveness has become a serious concern that has manifested in the dread activities of Kalare thugs, political thuggery and communal gangsters.
Violent activities of these youth groups include phone snatching and other thefts, maiming of law abiding citizens, harassing personalities at public and private venues as well as killing in many instances.
The ugly situation recently resulted in the banning of all motorcycles movement in Gombe, the State capital between 7:00pm and 6:00am by the State Police Command, as a measure to address the menace.
GONET’s first meeting with over 80 youths and their leaders presented a forum where the youths freely presented their grievances and frustration which prompts their restiveness, according to the youths.
Some of these frustrations or grievances pushing them into restiveness presented in a position paper included, Government’s demolition of shops which disrupted their livelihood and small businesses thus, rendering them jobless, limited access to education, low resilience and commitment among some youths thus, reducing self reliance, misuse of employment initiatives, including selling distributed materials instead of using them productively.
Others include, gender exclusion evidenced by the absence of women in the engagement, poor school attendance in rural areas, worsening educational inequality, ineffective mechanisms for lodging complaints to the Government, limiting feedback and dialogue, disunity among youth groups, undermining collective advocacy and lack of access to startup capital for youth-led enterprises among many other frustrations.
During the second meeting with critical stakeholders comprising Government and community policy makers as well as some leaders of the restive youths, the engagement highlighted the urgent need to implement all the “call to action” that emanated from both engagements.
The meeting had the presence of three critical state legislators who chair the committees on education, youths and women affairs in the State Assembly.
Other stakeholders present included the representative of the Chief Judge of the State, State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home affairs, representatives of the Commissioner for Youths, Police, Commandant of the NSCDC, DSS, Chairman of Gombe LGA, officials from the ministry of justice, leaders from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Youth wing of CAN (YOWICAN), CSO representatives and development partners where a truly inclusive dialogue took place.
Key recommendations adopted during the meeting which aptly reflected issues discussed and demands from the youths included the need for economic empowerment for the youths, upgrading educational and skills acquisition centres infrastructures and formalization of youth representation in Government policy processes and participation.
It also encouraged social cohesion, creation of laws to address issues affecting the youths while harnessing technology and emerging tools to stimulate entrepreneurship, transparency and inclusion for the youths.
GONET’s Chairman, Ambassador Ibrahim Yusuf, had earlier told the gathering that strengthening and adopting a coaching and mentoring system for the youths is fundamentally needed to address the challenges confronting the youths in Gombe State based on his experience and engagement with the youths.
However, it was a general consensus that addressing the challenges confronting youths in Gombe State requires urgent, coordinated and sustained action from Government, civil society, traditional institutions and the private sector.
End.
