ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called for the immediate revival and passage of the Nasarawa State Youth Development Commission bill by the parliament.

The bill was initiated and passed a second reading in the sixth assembly but could not scale through the final reading before its tenure expired.

Aliyu Adamu, the programme coordinator of the systems and Structure Strengthening Approach Against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE 3) project of ActionAid Nigeria, made the call on Wednesday when the organisation visited the speaker of the Nasarawa House of Assembly, Danladi Jatau, to seek his support on the bill.

Mr Adamu explained that the call became imperative considering his organisation’s efforts towards ending poverty and youth restiveness in Nasarawa.

According to him, the Youth Development Commission bill is not just another piece of legislation but a crucial and timely initiative designed to address the pressing issues of youth restiveness, unemployment, and lack of opportunities that our young people face daily.

He said, “By establishing a Youth Development Commission, this bill aims to create jobs, empower our youth, and reposition Nasarawa state as the youth hub of the nation.

“ActionAid is leveraging experiences and successes seen in her work and other partners in Kogi and Benue, where similar bills have been passed, and currently demonstrating the transformative impact such legislation can have.

”The passage of the bill in Nasarawa will provide a legal framework for effective youth empowerment initiatives, ensuring our young people are engaged in productive activities, thereby reducing poverty and preventing violent extremism.”

Mr Adamu, while commending the proactive efforts of the parliament in considering this bill in the past, urged the seventh assembly to prioritise it once more to ensure its passage into law.

He also appealed to Governor Abdullahi Sule to assent to the bill and ensure its implementation when finally passed by the lawmakers.

(NAN)