By Rosemary Ameh, Sokoto
Excitement filled Sokoto as Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, and the founder of Renewed Hope Youth Initiative, Seyi Tinubu, on Sunday, March 9, visited the North-Western State to break the ongoing fast with some Muslim youths.
Seyi is President Bola Tinubu’s son.
Speaking during the visit, the Minister said it was to identify with youths in the state during the period of Ramadan.
Olawande noted that a group of select youths would be empowered during the trip, to enable them become self-reliant.
He further explained that the youth are pillars and future leaders of the country, hence the need to care for them.
The Minister maintained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has youth-friendly policies, stressing that one of them is the Student Loans Fund.
Dwelling on the general impact of the President’s policies, the Minister noted that they have largely turned around the country’s fortunes.
“You know when this administration came on board, it increased federal allocation to States and Local Governments,” he said.
He added that President Tinubu has also distributed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion vehicles to Nigerians, including residents of Sokoto state.
In the area of housing, the Minister disclosed that the administration has built a lot of Renewed Hope houses to curtail accommodation deficit.
Welcoming them, Sokoto Governor Ahmed Aliyu thanked the Minister and Seyi Tinubu for the visit.
He described the president’s son as a beacon of hope to the youth in Northern Nigeria.
The governor commended the younger Tinubu for his commitment in championing gender balancing and youth participation in the present administration.
He also commended him for his nationwide engagement with the youth, irrespective of tribal, religious and political differences, adding that ‘’I was impressed with what you are doing nationwide, by interfacing with youths across board.’’
According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government has a lot of policies and programmes for youths.
Governor Aliyu said his administration has appointed several youths to his cabinet, stressing that his free education policy is for all, irrespective of ethnic or religious inclination.
