As Nigeria marks its 61th Independence Anniversary, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Adamaw state chapter has extended it hearty felicitations to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as well as the entire youths across the state.
The Youth Council in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Ambassador Ajine K. Delo, and made available to newsmen in Yola onThursday, congratulated Nigerians and wished them happy celebration.
According to him, today marks the 61th birthday of Nigeria's political independence, and that the nation's diamond jubilee is a remarkable milestone worthy of celebration in spite of the fact that the nation has been deeply immersed in the crisis of nationhood.
In Adamawa state, he said that the Nigeria's independence anniversary is worthy of celebration as the State is currently witnessing infrastructural development, improvement in healthcare service delivery, resuscitation of education sector among others.
While the country celebrates her 61th birthday, according to Ambassador Ajine, Adamawa citizens are proud to identify themselves with the government of the day taking into cognisance the achievements recorded since the coming on board of the government of the day.
The Chairman said that though the state had experienced its own share of political and economic woes, but the citizens can also boast of developmental strides under the able leadership of Governor Fintiri, saying that the government has given it citizens a sense of belonging.
He urged the youths to brace up to their responsibility bearing in mind that better tomorrow starts today, saying that they can only make the difference they are yearning if st all they rise up to their responsibilities.
At the national level, he said the fact that many Nigerians are of the opinion that the major problem facing the country is leadership, according to him, if nothing is done to ensure purposeful leadership, the country will continue to remain backward.
On the part of security situation, he observed that insecurity has steadily worsened as terrorists, bandits, gun and machete-wielding herdsmen and kidnappers have been perpetrating all sorts of evil at will, saying that political leaders have failed to serve as the rallying point for national unity, nation-building and cohesion.
He posited that it was as a result of failure of the FG in providing adequate security that has forced some states and regions to consider self-help, as well as moved the National Assembly to pass a resolution calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Service Chiefs.
On the part of growth, the Chairman explained that the population is growing at 3 per cent, while economic growth is just about 2 per cent, saying that life expectancy rate is 55 years, the third lowest in the world.
As put by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), he said that the life expectancy of an average Nigerian is only better than those of the people of Sierra-Leone, Chad and the Central African Republic, stating that even war-torn countries like Afghanistan and Somalia have a higher life expectancy, at 65 and 58 respectively.
Politically, he said that the electoral process is still largely being manipulated and there seems to be no solution to corruption in the country, saying that in June 2018, the World Poverty Clock indicated that Nigeria had overtaken India as the poverty Capital of the World.
The country now has the largest number of people living in extreme poverty with an estimated 87 million Nigerians, or around half of the country's population, are said to be living on less than $2.00 or N700.00 per day.
The future of Nigeria is in the hands of the Youth as social forces that will bring about change in the country, saying how they will pilot it affairs will determine where the country goes.
He challenged them to chart a new course that will better define a future that works for the good of the greatest number of compatriots, urging them to put the country on the path of growth and development.
Ambassador Ajine K. Delo, stated that the problems confronting Nigeria are not problems to be resolved by wishful thinking, as they require urgent and practical national attention towards addressing them.
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