Biliamin Oba, a senior special assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has urged Nigerians to cut down on expenses to adapt to the country’s present economic challenges.

Mr Oba gave the advice during the 2024 International Youth Day organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chapter, on Tuesday in Badagry.

The theme of the event was “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.”

Mr Oba, a former chairman of NYCN Lagos, said the present situation in the country demanded all hands to be on deck.

“We need to start cutting our costs, pending the time things will stabilise; everything has increased; transportation costs and standards of living have skyrocketed.

“We have to reduce costs. The present situation has become a burden on us, so we have to be economical.

“I am very sure President Bola Tinubu has a great plan for this country, and Sanwo-Olu is also working round the clock to ensure Lagos remains the best place for all and sundry,” he said.

Mr Oba commended Ashade Abdulsalam for organising the programme to enrich the youths in the council.

Speaking on the theme, Afeez Iyiola, the chief executive officer of Coach Africa, said youths were the future of now, not tomorrow.

 “Youths need to be very patient and resilient. They need to understand that they are going to fail, but when you fail, you’re going to come back to become stronger.

“I want youths to begin to embrace failure as a way of becoming better.

“Failure has been depriving them of what they can be. The future is the youths, and the future is now, so the youths need to stand up now,” he said.

Also, Oluwole Ashade of the Yaba Division of the Lagos State High Court, Yaba, said the youths must be fully engaged to dedicate themselves to progress and sustainable development.

According to him, digital technology is no longer just a tool for communication but for serious business.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Badagry police station, Folajimi Agosile, urged the youths to desist from committing crimes and drugs.

According to him, many youths with a brighter future have destroyed their lives due to drugs and bad groups.

In his remarks, Abdulsalam Ashade, the coordinator, NYCN, Olorunda LCDA chapter, said the aim of the programme was to improve youth’s social media handling.

(NAN)