Efio-Ita Nyok|12 August 2016
**International Youth Day, 2016 Have Your Say: Road To 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production, CRS Government In Perspective
Today 12 August, marks the day set aside to mark the international youth day globally. It came about from a resolution of a U.N. facilitated meeting of world Ministers of Youths in 1998.
Of course, the U.N. has an agenda towards sustainable development by 2030 and this year's theme/topic focuses on "Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production".
The interesting thing about efforts towards global advancement is that micro roles are conglomerated into macro roles/result.Therefore each year the U.N maps out activities by youth advocates and proponents for youthful engagements globally to mark this day.
For my office, I will mark this day by appearing on the state broadcasting station-CRBC to provide sensitization about this day and subsequently brief the umbrella student body in the state of the theme of this year's event and get their inputs of the said theme while using same opportunity to address other issues.
For us as a state we are lucky to have a Governor who is youth oriented and that perfectly understands the United Nation blueprint on sustainable development in all perspective.
Now his (Sen Prof Ayade Benedict, our amiable governor) initiatives geared towards the above (eradicating poverty by achieving sustainable consumption and production) can be seen from the perspective of engaging over 40 percent of his appointees who are youths.This offers youths a platform to be engaged in policy formulation and implementation in terms of governance and innovation and also provides a means of livelihood from earnings made as pay.
Of course, from these channels created youths engaged are expected and are utilizing their intellectual prowess, ingenuity and innovation to advance causes for the good of our state and people a typical example can be seen in the efforts by Dr Betta Edu as regards reforms in the primary health sector and platforms created by Mr Godswill Edward in terms of youth engagements in the state, Mr Ejemot Esu roles in Job Placement, not to mention my humble office strides etc.
The labour, industrial and environmental drive/revolution of this administration is truly geared towards providing a platform for sustainable consumption and production in Cross River State. How can one consume without pay?
Therefore, the prompt payment of workers in Cross River State; the business friendly environment ;the garment factory and CaliPharm initiative; the green police engagements of young people and their mandate to sustain the environment; foreign partnership for skill acquisition and empowerment e.g with CUSO etc; revamped waste management; the rice farm project and agricultural initiatives on farming etc; harmonious relationship and support for youth based groups in the state; the launch of the multibillion micro-small-and -medium enterprise scheme in the state in partnership with the United Nation and strides in reshaping primary education and health in the state is a pointer of an administration that is geared at ending poverty in the state and achieving sustainable consumption and production in the state possibly before 2030.
Therefore the above is my say as regards the way forward this one year for our administration and I will dwell a lot on this and many more by morrow. Do you have your say on this year's theme especially as it relates to what you do, where you are and what you think? Have your say and let's shapen each others thought…This is mine as an agent of good governance…What is yours? No wonder the youths of CRS believe in Ayade even as we work on our challenges. We commend Ayade and as young people we must question our individual role towards the above perspective.
Prince Michael Nku Abuo, JP
Special Assistant – Student Affairs & Youth Mobilization to the Governor of CRS
