Osun Youth Agenda (OYA) has called on the Osun State Government to ensure the full implementation of the Youth Development Needs contained in the 2020 appropriation law and also work on the passage of the Osun Youth Developmental Commission (OYDC) establishment bill into law.
This call was made by Bukola Idowu, the Project Coordinator, Osun Youth Agenda in a statement made available to AMILOADED by OYA on Monday.
Idowu also highlighted in clear terms, the successes recorded so far in the first phase of the Osun Youth Agenda Campaign and appreciated the support OYA had received hitherto from relevant stakeholders.
Here is the full text of the statement:
With great pleasure, we welcome you to this press conference organized by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) the coordinating hub of the Osun Youth Agenda Campaign as regards the developmental needs of youth in Osun State.
The objective of this press conference is to highlight in clear terms, the successes recorded so far in the first phase of the Osun Youth Agenda Campaign, appreciate the support OYA had received hitherto from relevant stakeholders and call for the implementation of the youth developmental needs in the 2020 appropriation law and passage of the Osun Youth Development Commission (OYDC) Establishment Bill into law.
ABOUT OSUN YOUTH AGENDA
OYA is a multi-faceted approach that aggregated voices of Osun Youth on their developmental priorities and needs, to ensure they are not perpetrators and victims of violence, restiveness, civil despondency, anti-social behaviours and replacing violence with gainful social opportunities.
The Osun Youth Agenda on the developmental priority needs was arrived at using qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments such as Youth Priority Need Survey (YPNS) of six hundred (600) Osun youth across the 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, Key Informant Interviews, and Focus Group Discussions. These research instruments were used to gather, analyse and aggregate the opinions of young people in Osun on their developmental needs. Osun Youth Agenda is a product of various consultative processes and expert scrutiny.
OYA presents to elected officials most especially the state government the priority developmental issues of Osun Youth on Education, Employment, Health Care Delivery, Agriculture and Wealth Creation.
SUCCESSES RECORDED IN THE FIRST PHASE OF OYA ADVOCACY
OYA journey started far back as 2018 with the deployment of the Youth Priority Need Questionnaires (YPNQ). After which the data collected were analyzed to get to the top developmental priorities of Osun Youths.
Recommendations from these data were subjected to expert scrutiny in Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews.
These processes were all to smartened the recommendations of the OSUN YOUTH AGENDA.
Engaging with this advocacy tool (Osun Youth Agenda) started in May 2019 with series of activities and publications such as the High Profile Stakeholders Policy Dialogues, Release of Policy Briefs on youth-related issues in Osun State, One-on-one Advocacy Meeting with decision-makers to get their buy-in for the Osun Youth Agenda, Press Conferences, OYA Radio Programmes, Social Media Engagement and also Grassroots mobilization and awareness.
8 months down the line, Osun Youth Agenda has recorded some notable achievements:
A dedicated Ministry for Matters Relating to Osun Youth and Sports
As a response to the signed communique at the August 28, 2019 policy dialogue for the establishment of a dedicated Ministry, Commission or Agency for youth development and engagement in Osun State.
Governor Gboyega Oyetola separated the youth ministry from being an appendage of the Ministry of Commerce, all youth-related matters has been designated to be handled by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Mr. Olayemi Azeez Lawal, a 37-year-old has been appointed as as the commissioner of Youth and Sports in the state.
This huge feat cannot be disassociated from the intensity and consistency of the OYA campaign and the promised made by the Deputy Governor during the advocacy meeting to him and also the governor open commitment during the policy dialogue.
2. Inclusion of some of the OYA recommendations in the 2020 appropriation bill submitted to the Osun State House of Assembly (OSHA).
The OYA recommendations in the 2020 budget as signed by Governor Gboyega Oyetola include:
Provisions of Agricultural input
Establishment of an agricultural produce market
Rehabilitation of Farm Settlements Offices
Establishment and irrigation of 9 new farm settlements
Upgrading of the infrastructure of 9 old farm settlements
Rehabilitation / stocking of government/ secretariat period
Establishment of Food Mart
Holding promotional programs for Osun produced goods
Establishment of a well-equipped youth innovation hub and skill training center
Osun Drug Abuse response unit has been set up at the Ministry of Health
Establishment of Youth Friendly Centers
Family Life and HIV education and sex education curriculum to be used in government and private schools
Establishment of an ICT hub and computer market
3. Governor Oyetola, in his speech at the Osun Youth Agenda Policy Dialogue on the 23rd of January, 2020, stated that “a bill for the establishment of Youth Development Commission has been forwarded to the State House of Assembly as a response to the OYA request presented at the 1st Osun Youth Agenda Policy Dialogue for the establishment of a Youth Development Commission to Enhance Youth Centered Policies and Development Plan; Youth Focused Intervention; Gainful Youth Employment and Fully Tapped Youth Potential” and the speaker of the OSHA at the Legislative Townhall meeting held on the 22nd of January, 2020 also made commitment and stated the readiness of the 7th Assembly to pass the bill in record time as soon as the house reconvene after the recess.
4. As confirmed in the Governor’s speech that was presented at the 2nd Osun Youth Agenda Policy Dialogue on the 23rd of January, 2020.
Mr Governor stated that his administration has “reviewed the educational system to make it functional by introducing vocational and technical education to take care of middle-level manpower and promote entrepreneurship.
He also added that his administration has provided instructional and learning materials as well as training and re-training to make Osun children get best education”.
Governor Oyetola also added that the Osun Youth Policy is also in progress and, very soon,the subvention to cater for the various needs of the youth would be provided by the State Government.
All these successes recorded cannot be disassociated from the intensity and consistency of the OYA campaign and most importantly the importance Governor Oyetola led administration attached to the youth needs. On behalf of the 2.5 million Osun Youths, Osun Youth Agenda appreciate Governor Oyetola for seeing youth development as a priority on his integral action plan. Achieving this great feat, we are sure that under your great leadership, wisdom, and guidance, Osun Youth are striving to much greater heights and achievements.
Call to Action
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