The State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin while declaring open a one-day orientation programme for Liaison Officers and Youth Empowerment Coordinators for the 16 Local Government Areas of the State.

According to Gov. Ahmed, this underscores the roles of the Liaison Officers and Youth Empowerment Coordinators as catalysts to ensure synergy and internalization of the policy thrusts of the State government at the grassroots level.

"The essence of the on-going data capturing of the unemployed youths is to assist the government secure the future of our youths through empirical analysis of the challenges", the governor said.

He told the political appointees of government’s desire to avert youth restiveness as a result of joblessness by creating a dependable platform to engage the youths in productive ventures. This, he said, is the essence of the State Bridge Empowerment Scheme (KWABES).

The Governor, therefore, charged the newly appointed Youth Empowerment Coordinators to ensure the sustainability of the on-going data capturing of unemployed youths in the 16 Local Government Areas of the State.

"As Youth Empowerment Coordinators", the governor said, "your primary responsibility is to ensure the coordination of activities of youths in your various Local Government areas of posting and supervise the data capturing exercise". He urged them further to ensure that policy thrusts of the State Government are internalized at the grassroots level in terms of developmental needs, apart from being the linkage between the State and Local Government.

Government he said, can only run effectively if it is coordinated based on policy thrusts, pointing out that this is the only way by which "we can optimally allocate the scarce resources available to government".

Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold had congratulated the governor on his first 100 days in office.

He said the induction course shows the premium placed on Liaison Officers and Youth Empowerment Coordinators, who are expected to provide platform for development at the grassroots.

The theme of the one-day orientation programme is: "The execution of the policy thrusts of the present administration in Kwara State", and is expected to feature papers presentation by resource persons to add value to the expected roles of the appointees.

Abdulwahab Oba
Chief Press Secretary
to the Kwara State Governor
06/09/2011