The Lagos State Government has urged youths from the state to consider joining the military and the police.
To this end, the government, on Thursday, unveiled a dual initiative for “sensitisation on the need to improve Lagos State Indigenous youth enrolment into the Nigerian Armed Forces and Police” with “an enlightenment programme on human trafficking in persons.”
Speaking in Ikeja, the state capital, on Thursday, at the sensitisation seminar themed “Ignite: Sparkling Passion and Purpose,” the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, noted that statistics have revealed a decline in the enrolment of youths into the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Police.
“Recent events in the country have revealed the need to continuously engage our youths and guide them properly in making decisions, especially in the areas of career and life choice, hence the need for this seminar at this point in time.
“Statistics have revealed in the past that the enrolment of our youths to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Police has dwindled drastically hence the need to continue to sensitise them on the need to join the Armed Force and the Police.
“Indigenous Lagos youths need to be exposed to the numerous advantages of their recruitment into the prestigious armed forces which is what this gathering aims to achieve,” he said.
The commissioner said educating “youths on the benefits of enrolment into the Armed Forces” was essential majorly “to defend the territorial integrity of our nation and other numerous packages which will be introduced to them in the course of this programme.”
“Presently, our youths are currently faced with numerous challenges which affect their daily life,” he said, stressing unemployment, inability to access soft loans for small-scale businesses, and lack of relevant skills to take up available job opportunities were critical.
The commissioner said the government also plans to continuously engage members of the public, especially parents and guardians “to correct the erroneous belief that our children will be taken away and sent to the war front.”
“The need for regular orientation and re-orientation of our people cannot be over-emphasized as conscious efforts have to be made to intentionally educate our youths as future leaders of our dear nation,” Oyerinde said.
He decried the plight of Nigerians who under the scourge of human trafficking are trafficked abroad for inhumane work conditions under the guise of searching for greener pastures.
“Unfortunately, they are used for forced and cheap labour, prostitution, illegal smuggling of migrants, sale and purchase of persons, drug peddling and child labour,” he said, declaring the position of the state government to fight against the scourge
Oyerinde lamented the prevalence of drug abuse menace among youths which according to him, “has become a monster that has refused to leave our youths making them a nuisance to the society.”
The commissioner stated that the inclusiveness programmes of the policy thrust of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government, the T.H.E.M.E.S+ agenda, are aimed at addressing youth unemployment and promoting gender balancing.
He emphasised that the government is committed to creating awareness about the opportunities available in the public space and encouraged youths to take advantage of them.
Oyerinde also addressed the issue of student loans, stating that many students from the South-West have not taken advantage of this opportunity due to misconceptions.
“We want to see a large scale of youth enrolling for this programme so that there will be room for competition. We won’t have any shortfall left behind when they are doing that enrollment.
“That’s our commitment to this programme. And it’s not going to stop there. As a ministry, we have taken it up to ensure that it will be coming on a quarterly basis until that awareness gets to a level that we so desire,” he added.
The Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties, Intergovernmental Relations, and Central Business District, Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Rauf Age-Sulaiman, urged youths to embrace military and police jobs.
He noted that the Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations is saddled with the problem of intergovernmental relations, which has to do with the relationship between the state and the Federal government.
Sulaiman also addressed the issue of difficulties faced by applicants during the recruitment process and assured that the ministry will come up with the right way to resolve the issues.
The Deputy Director, Federal Character Commission, Mrs Opakunle Islamiyah, urged parents to motivate their children to join the military, stressing that it is not a death trap.
Islamiyah emphasised that the military is a noble profession that offers opportunities for young people to serve their country.
The Brigade Education Officer, Nigerian Army Forces, 9th Brigade, Major Ayodeji Oke, said that the military is a very noble profession that not everybody has the opportunity to join.
Oke emphasised that every member of the armed forces “is a first-class citizen of the country and contributes to the security of Nigeria.”
The Lagos Zonal Commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons Mrs Agboko Comfort encouraged youths to take advantage of legitimate opportunities available in the country such as the military and paramilitary.
Remilekun Awokoya