By Matthew Ajai-Kume
Governor Samuel Ortom has said, the Benue Youth Summit scheduled to hold between November 25 to 27, 2020 is organised for every Benue youth, irrespective of political affiliation, religion and place of origin.
A press statement made available to the journalist recently by the Governor’s Spokesman, Terver Akase said, the Summit is a non partisan event, and it is aimed at availing the youths of the state from all walks of life the opportunity to interface with the state government on issues affecting them and to arrive at the solutions to such challenges.
The statement notes that, while inaugurating the Youth Summit Steering Committee on 28 October, 2020, the governor charged members of the committee to be committed to ensuring that, the summit opens the door for greater opportunities for the young generation in the state.
“You must dedicate yourselves to working to ensure that Benue youths take their rightful position in social, political and economic spheres of life “
“I assure you that, our government will give you every support and cooperation that you need to succeed in a very important assignment,” he assured.
According to the release, the governor further directed that, 50 participants for the summit should be drawn from each local government area, with different political parties (APC, APGA, PDP youth members) as well as members of other groups in the society represented. That directive is strictly being complied with by the steering committee.
Governor Ortom maintained that, it is practically impossible to assemble all Benue youths in one hall to attend a summit, noting that, this is the reason for the selection of representatives to come from the 23 LGAs in an equitable manner to take part in the three day event.
According to the Governor, the participants will take the knowledge they are to gain from the summit back to those who would not be at the event.
He said, it is pertinent to equally state that the All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader in the state, is a key member of the steering committee, so, there are several subcommittees of the summit to which members of different political parties belong, adding that it is therefore, mischievous and misleading for anyone to insinuate that the youth summit is a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) affair or summit.
The governor appealed with those playing politics with the forthcoming youth summit to remember that the challenges confronting Benue State do not affect only one political party, region or religion.
He explained that, when the EndSARS protest erupted across the country, the agitation and destruction that followed did not affect only one political party, individual or group, therefore, the youth conference is for all Benue youth.
Governor Ortom encouraged all that, the task of developing the state and addressing its challenges is the responsibility of all the people of the state.
He advised those desperately giving political colourations to the youth summit to rather, prepare memoranda and send to the summit steering committee as their contribution to addressing the youth question.
