Acting
President at the G7 Summit cites energy and talent of youths as sources of
optimism
Africa is
undeterred by the failures of the past and the continent is motivated by the
incredible energy and talent of its bustling youthful population, according to
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Prof.
Osinbajo spoke today at the G7 Summit special outreach forum on Africa with
selected African nations and leaders including Nigeria, Guinea, Tunisia, Niger,
Ethiopia and Kenya.
According
to him, "Africa is confident of the future because we have learnt,...we
are investing more in education, insisting on good governance and holding
ourselves to account."
"But the greatest
reason for our optimism is in the incredible energy, talent and creativity of
our young people, male and female who are completely undeterred by the failures
of the past and are daily taking advantage of innovation and technology
bringing about the Africa of our dreams," the Acting President stated.
While assuring
the G7 countries of Africa's increasing collaboration as never before in trade,
counter terrorism and strengthening democracy, Prof Osinbajo commended the
seven most industrialized nations of world for their support in the fight
against Boko Haram terrorism, especially the US, France and the United Kingdom
as effective partners in the Lake Chad basin, citing the successes of "our
joint intelligent unit which has provided useful and timely intelligence in the
war against terrorism."
On the progress
made so far in the country, Prof Osinbajo highlighted that there is massive
increase in rice yield over the past two years, distribution of fertilizer
subsidies to farmers, who have also benefited from an e-wallet system which
guaranteed that the subsidies actually gets to the farmers.
Continuing,
he said the N-Power programme which has started engaging some of the up
to five hundred thousand young previously unemployed graduates instalmentally
as teachers, agricultural extension workers and public health professionals
"is a breakthrough in mass post-tertiary education."
He said the
participants were recruited online in all states in the nation mostly using
mobile phones, adding that participants were soon to receive their electronic
tablet devices and can access an N-Power portal that contain required training
materials for acquisition of more skills to carry out their duties.
Other world
leaders including from the African Union, Chairman of the African Union, United
Nations, OECD, IMF, AfDB and World Bank were at the summit, besides leaders of
the G7 countries.
On the
entourage,of the Acting President were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey
Onyema, Special Adviser to the on Economic Matters, Dr. Yemi Dipeolu, the
Nigeria Charge d' Affairs in Italy, Mrs Bisi Meshioye.
The Acting
President has since returned to Nigeria.
Tags
Politics