Emmanuel Ikpeama.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment and inclusive governance by endorsing the proposed Kogi Youth Security Summit and promising the establishment of a modern Youth Hub designed to nurture innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship across the state.
The governor gave the assurance on Sunday at the Government House in Lokoja while receiving youth leaders and stakeholders, describing young people as indispensable partners in strengthening security and driving sustainable development in Kogi State.
According to him, the proposed Youth Security Summit will serve as a strategic platform for young people to work closely with government and security agencies in developing practical solutions to insecurity and other criminal activities affecting communities across the state.
Ododo said his administration has deliberately placed youths at the centre of governance by giving them greater opportunities to participate in policy implementation and decision-making, unlike in previous years when their immense potential was not fully harnessed.
He stressed that the summit would further strengthen the state’s security architecture by encouraging active youth participation in promoting peace and safeguarding lives and property.
The governor also endorsed the proposed Ododo Youth House project, assuring stakeholders that it would not become another abandoned government initiative.
He explained that the project would be delivered through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to guarantee its sustainability and long-term impact.
Ododo said the facility would serve as a modern youth hub equipped with a 1,000-seat multipurpose hall, office spaces, a fully equipped library, children’s amusement park and other facilities aimed at promoting innovation, leadership development, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
Highlighting his administration’s support for youth organisations, the governor revealed that the monthly subvention to the Kogi State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), which had remained at ₦500,000 for over a decade, had been increased under his administration.
He also pledged to sustain regular quarterly engagements with youth groups to strengthen communication, deepen collaboration and ensure their concerns continue to shape government policies.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Monday Anyebe, described the Ododo administration as youth-friendly, noting that the appointment of many young people into strategic positions reflects the governor’s confidence in the abilities of Kogi youths.
He commended the governor for maintaining payment of the NYCN subvention despite prevailing economic challenges, adding that the relative peace being enjoyed across the state is the result of deliberate investments in security and youth engagement.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Kogi State Chapter, Comrade Abdurrahman Abdulmumin Enesi, applauded Governor Ododo’s commitment to youth development and appealed for the appointment of more qualified young people into strategic government positions.
Enesi also reaffirmed the council’s support for the proposed Youth House, describing it as a legacy project that would inspire future generations, while urging the government to further increase the council’s monthly subvention from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million to enable it to implement more impactful youth-focused programmes.
The governor’s endorsement of the Youth Security Summit and his promise to establish a modern Youth Hub underscore his administration’s determination to empower young people and position them as key stakeholders in advancing peace, security and sustainable development across Kogi State.