Youth Minister Under Fire Over Misplaced Leadership
A renowned member of the Tinubu Support Organization (TSO) and Spokesperson of the group, Hon. Franklin Njoku known for his sociopolitical clout has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately review the activities of the Honourable Minister of Youth Development Dr. Jamila Ibrahim Bio.
Hon. Franklin in a statement on Monday, blamed most of the recent outrage by youths in the country on the incompetence of Jamila, her professional inabilities, lukewarm strategies, and unlivable programs for youths.
Hon. Franklin held firm that the Minister has failed in her mandate to communicate and engage the Nigerian youths properly.
He made emphasis on the recent Endbadgovernance protest which led to several political and economic setbacks. He recalled that prior to the protest, efforts made by youth groups and channelled through the office of Minister of Youths were all ignored, especially in such sensitive times.
“The so called #EndBadGovernance protest that threatened the corporate existence of our country could have been avoided if proactive measures were initiated to meaningfully engage the young people/ organisers.
He says, “after the protest and even during the protest, the Federal Youth Minister kept a deaf ear and a blind eye to the Nigerian youths who had craved her indulgence.
The proactive APC chieftain sighted that fact that the Minister did not do enough to stop her youth community from embarking on the #EndBadGovernance that rocked the nation last month and until now, Jamila is yet to organise any press conference, cross section with youth groups or any similar event to filter the challenges of Endbadgovernance and how it could be avoided moving forward.
“Her negligence and ignorance towards sustainable and veritable initiatives makes her unfit and naive for such a sensitive Ministry”, he added
Njoku states that the office of the youth Minister has remained inactive, cold, sterile and uninventive towards programs and initiatives that bothers on youth development and inclusiveness.
“As the Minister of Youth, her office requires her to continuously fraternize with leadership of top youth organisations, engage face to face contact with young people across the country to reconcile their plights and advise government effectively.
Njoku states that the office of the youth Minister has been used for her elite engagement and promotion of her personal status and has remained inactive, cold, sterile and uninventive towards face to face grassroot engagement with the youths.
As you know, over 90% of Nigerian youths do not even know who the Federal Minister of Youth Development is, they don’t know her name and have not seen her in any platform interfacing with them. This is unlikely the pattern with previous youth Ministers.
Jamila has refused to connect with the plights of the average Nigerian youths. She is rarely accessible and slides away from socioeconomic programs organised by youth organizations with objectives bothering on youth advancement and development.
What we have seen with the current Minister appears to have placed the youths at a corner where they have no liaison officer at the seat of power and it has largely fuelled the agitation in their minds, as they feel alienated.
Recall that Tinubu Support Organization played a significant role towards the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential polls. According to Hon Njoku, TSO will do everything to ensure that the Tinubu led administration succeeds against all odds.
Hon. Njoku further advised the president to immediately consider reshuffling his cabinet. Stressing that policies introduced by his cabinet members are unsuitable and reasons behind the challenges Nigerians are faced with today.