by By Elijah Ugani
The member representing Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku federal constituency, Hon Peter Akpanke, has stated that he does not want to build a youth forum that will carry guns and follow him during elections, but rather youth forum where youths will occupy places of prominent contributing to the development of the federal constituency.
Akpanke made this known on Monday 1st April, 2024 during an interactive session with youths of Obudu, Bekwarra and Obanliku Local Government Areas, under the auspices of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, held at the Sen Liyel Imoke’s Civic Centre, Obudu.
The lawmaker was responding to the issues raised by the youths during the interaction session.
In his words “I have listened to all that you have said. I want to assure you that it has pleased God that one of you should represent you in the house of representatives, and I will do my best to ensure that we facilitate programmes that bring youths out of drug abuse and cultism and make them self-reliance. I don’t want to build a youth forum that will carry guns and follow me during election.
“Youths are said to be the leaders of tomorrow, if tomorrow will be fine it is the that will do it. We must take deliberate efforts to prepare the youths properly to take over from us. I’m here to interact with you and I’m sure our interactions will set a pace for very meaningful development in our constituency.
“We have discussed our problems and we will see how we find solutions to them.
“I’m here today to speak to you because I’m a youth, and I do know the problem of the youths. This program will keep on, and I want to assure that I will always be available for every interactive session that will advance our development.
“We have to leave the sentiment of our political parties and work for the development of our federal constituency.
“I want all of you come together and let’s work together and build our federal constituency. I want to build a federal constituency that will benefit everyone irrespective of political parties.
“I have listened to all your problems, for those that will benefit our youths, that will take our youths out of drugs, I will do my best.
“The Ikom-Obanliku-Obudu road is captured in the 2024 budget and I assure you that it will be reconstructed”.
The Youth Coordinators of the three local government areas, Comr Peter Olofu, Bekwarra, Comr Linus Abuokwen – Obudu, and Comr, Boniface Adie Jr, who took turns and commended Hon Peter Akpanke for this initiative to convey the youths for this interacting session, and described it as unprecedented.
The noted that, Hon Peter Akpanke has given hope to the youths. For him to conceive the idea of bringing the youths together, it is evident that the youths are already part of today’s leadership.
They listed the challenges of the youths to include: Unemployment and noted that today, they are many graduates without jobs, and appealed that youth resource centers be facilitated across the three local governments where the youths will learn different trades and be empowered.
They also requested that the youths should be supported in Small Medium Enterprises SMEs. The noted that when youths are supported to start different businesses, they will employ other youths. The stressed that youths can be grouped into cooperatives.
They also requested for scholarships for the youths, and commended him having commenced payment of bursaries to students, bought JAMB forms.
Other requests made by the youths are: Farm input. Youths should be supported to go into agriculture. Providing the financial support base, will encourage the youths to channel their youthful energies into productive ventures.
Regular symposium: Seminars, workshops to sensitive our youths to curb idleness.
Mobility, farm input and incentives, the Obudu-Obanliku-Ikom road and Educational trust fund.
The youths of the three local government areas, made a commitment to come together devoid differences in political parties to support the lawmaker to attract development to the federal constituency.
The lawmaker support the three local government areas with 1M each for transportation.
