FG laments limited impact of N75bn youth fund

Forum 1 year ago

FG laments limited impact of N75bn youth fund

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has decried the limited impact of the N75bn youth fund approved for three years by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking during a courtesy call on him by the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, in Abuja yesterday, the minister revealed that the fund could only cater for 1.5 million youths which, according to him, is a fraction of the over 40% youth population of the country.

“From our youth fund, the entire N75billion approved for three years by the President can only deliver for 1.5m youths.

“So, there is a challenge of scale and that is why I often say that the youth business is everybody’s business,” he said.

According to him, the current approach to addressing youth bulge crisis is not sustainable, and a more strategic and sustainable approach is required.

While stressing that the youth was not a monolith, the Minister said: “We must look at the different strata of youth and then engage them.”