The Edo State Government has said youths in the state will feature prominently in the inauguration of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, for a second term in office, which will be held alongside the annual Alaghodaro Summit.
Governor Obaseki will be sworn into office along with his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, for another term of four years, on November 12, 2020.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the participation of Edo youths in the events is important to the governor who has assured that individuals below 40 years, mostly youths, will be given front-row seats in his new cabinet.
He said as part of the 2020 Alaghodaro Summit, a youth summit will be organised to evaluate how the Obaseki-led administration’s policies, programmes and initiatives in the first four years in office, have benefited youths in the state.
Osagie noted: “The governor acknowledges the role of youths in the actualisation of his second term bid. Youth make up more than half of the state’s population. So, it is only right that they determine what works best for them in government.
“The 2020 Youth Summit will enable the state government to assess the impact of the administration’s policies and programmes on job creation, youth empowerment, basic and technical education and youth participation in governance, among others.
“Edo youths know what this administration has done with the fight against human trafficking, through which many young persons are being freed from the grip of traffickers, with many of them being supported by the government to be self-reliant.
“Governor Obaseki is ready to do more for our youth in the next four years as we will see more youth benefitting from the opportunities that would be unleashed from key projects, including the Benin River Port development, the Edo Modular Refinery, the Benin Industrial Park, among others.”
“This year’s youth summit will be used to direct the government’s attention on how our youths can benefit from the legacy projects of this administration and how they will contribute to governance and other aspects of the state’s economy,” he added.
According to the governor’s aide, “Governor Obaseki has continued to receive commendations on sports development and job creation with the revamping of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and the building of mini-stadia in each of 18 local government areas of the state.
“This will allow the government across all levels and private investors organise sporting events that will engage more of our youths especially those in rural areas and semi-urban towns in productive ventures and prepare them for other national and international engagements amid other laudable initiatives to boost industrialisation, economic expansion and create wealth for Edo people.”
