YIAGA HOLDS TOWNHALL MEETING ON PROMOTING YOUTH INCLUSIVENESS IN GOVERNANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN KANO

Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Development (YIAGA) with support from the Ford Foundation, organised a Town Hall Meeting on Promoting Youth Inclusiveness in Governance for Development on 14/04/2018 at American Corner,  Kano.
The town hall meeting was designed to educate the public on the need to mainstream youth participation in governance. 
The Townhall meeting which drew nearly 200 participants from nook and cranny of Kano,  and neighbouring states, had Malam Mustapha Muhammad, a Freelance Journalist, Barrister Maryam Ahmad,  Comrade Yahaya Shehu Wudil and Malama Fatima as Speakers.
Mr Mustapha Muhammad, who was the first speaker called on youth to be more prepared for the task of nation building, he believes that youth need to be more proactive. He also believes for youth to take their rightful place, they must do away with politics of godfatherism.
On her part, Barrister Maryam Abubakar called on youth to show more action rather than lamenting on issues, she believes that a united Nigeria youth are formidable enough to decide the future of the country.
On his part, Comrade Yahaya Shehu Wudil, who is a practicing politician, believes nobody can include the youth in governance except themselves, he therefore called on youth to start from grassroots politics and join political parties, he is of the opinion that it will be hard to do away with godfatherism in Nigeria politics.
After the paper presentations, the floor was open for discussions, and more than 20 youth spoke on the way forward in demanding youth inclusiveness in governance.
At the end of the presentations, it was agreed that their will not be needed development without mainstreaming youth in governance, the particiapanta also believed that the movement should not end there, so there was the need to go into action, so a committee was set up with Abubakar Lele as the chairman, and Barrister Maryam Ahmad as the Secretary, other members of the committee are Mr Komolafe Ogunaye, Ado Sanusi Sabongida (representing PWDs), Rabiu Shamma, Aisha Tofa and Idris Mohammed as members.
It was also resolved that there is need for greater participation of youth in politics, so attendees were encouraged to join political parties in their various local governments.
Youth were also encouraged to seek more education, build their capacity as that is key to do things different from the way it is done in the country.
The program was coordinated by Comrade Idris Mohammed on behalf of Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Development (YIAGA).