Just In : Nigerian Youths warns FG, reject Cyber Security Levy, calls for a review of time frame for POS registration.
The practicing youth parliamentary organisation in Nigeria know as Youth Assembly of Nigeria, YAN sitting in Abuja the nation’s capital has made some vital resolves as follows:
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE(1)-DAY NATIONAL YOUTH SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE YOUTH ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA (YAN), NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 8TH MAY, 2024 AT THE AUDITORIUM OF RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, MAITAMA, ABUJA
PREAMBLE
In furtherance to the commitment of the leadership of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria to bring young people into closer union and inculcate in them the spirit of continuous struggle to be economically empowered and financially independent, the Assembly organized a one(1)-Day National Youth Symposium which brought together workforce development thought leaders and stakeholders whose focus is providing workforce development opportunities for the youth population.
The keynote address was delivered by Chief Lai Labode, CEO, Cashtoken Reward Africa. He dwelled on the need for Nigerian youth to think outside the box and embrace sustainable entrepreneurship for wealth creation.
The programme featured paper presentation on three(3) thematic areas, that is, Skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and technological innovation as well as the role of youth in achieving the SDGs by 2030.
RESOLUTIONS
At the end of the Symposium, the following resolutions were reached,
1)That Nigerian youth under the aegis of Youth Assembly of Nigeria unanimously resolved to have a paradigm shift from the old order to a new order of pursuing vigorously sustainable economic venture in the area of entrepreneurship, technological innovation, agricultural value chain and skills acquisition to tackle unemployment amongst the teeming youth for job and wealth creation in the economy
2)That Nigerian youth is appealing to government at all levels to create enabling environment for young entrepreneurs to access capital and contribute in the GDP of the country
3)That the alarming rate of inflation and the high cost of Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) is causing serious hardship to the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We call on the Federal Government to address these monumental challenges before the situation gets out of hand.
4)That 85 per cent of Point of Sale (PoS) operators, agents and merchants are young people who are doing everything legally possible to earn a living. It is the responsibility of the government to support and encourage them by creating enabling environment for them to thrive. However, the recent directive by the CAC that all operators should register within two(2) months is totally weird and not acceptable. We’re not saying they should not register with the Commission. But the timing is abrupt. We therefore appeal for more time and CAC should also provide enough centre for POS operators registration nationwide
5)We received with utmost shock the unfortunate news of the abduction of students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Okene in Kogi State. We call on government and the security agencies to redouble efforts for the safe release of the students. In addition, we call on government at all levels to provide adequate security in our various campuses to forestall future occurrence.
6)Cybersecurity Levy and the burden of multiple taxation on Nigerians : Nigerian youth rejects in totality the 0.5 per cent cyber security levy. We call on the CBN to redirect banks operating in the country to as a matter of urgency stop charging cyber security levy on transactions. Nigerians are not ready for unnecessary imposition of tax in this critical period of our nation’s history. We call on government at all levels to address the sufferings of Nigerians.
7)The consistent inconsistency in the continuous rise and fall of naira is not acceptable in any sane country. There’s need for extensive economic interventions to correct supply-demand imbalances, foster local support, especially for young entrepreneurs and stabilise the currency to promote long-term economic progress in the country
CONCLUSION
The National Youth Symposium 2024 was a huge success. The young people were able to redefine their future through intellectual discourse and strategic engagement with the mindset of strengthening mutual prosperity, upholding our honour and glory and working round the clock to get out of the woes. Education and skills acquisition is the way forward in addressing scarce job opportunities. The era of lamentation is over. The time for change is now.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of certificate of credence to outstanding individuals and establishments that have consistently supported the young people in time past till present.
Signed :
His Youthfulness,
Rt. Hon. Shuaibu Sani,
National Speaker, YAN
Rt. Hon. Usman Saidu,
Chairman, Organizing Committee
