National Assembly ‘ll create more opportunities for youths — Barau

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has assured Nigerians, especially the youths that National Assembly will continue to enhance the relevant legislative framework to create more opportunities for them and tackle brain drain in the country.

He gave the assurances weekend in Abuja at The Companion (Association of Muslim Men in Business and the Professions) 2024 conference and the 6th national discourse, with the theme ‘Between Patriotism and Self-Preservation’.

Barau, who was the chairman of the occasion, expressed the commitment of the 10th National Assembly to enact relevant laws that will make Nigeria conducive for her youths to remain in the country as well as working with the executive to create an enabling environment for the youths to reach their career goals.

“Let me reiterate that the 10th National Assembly under our great leader, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, is committed to enacting relevant laws that will make Nigeria conducive for our youth to remain here and contribute to national development. I assure you that both the Legislature and Executive are working together to create opportunities for our teeming youth to reach the zenith of their potential in life.

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“I will also ensure that given my position as the first Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, we shall have seamless legislations that will promote the socio-economic well-being of the people of our sub-region, especially the youth,” he said.

On her part, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, cautioned Nigerians against embarking on illegal migration, saying such could result into a ripple effect that will leave everlasting trauma on such migrants.

Speaking on the topic ‘Dilemma of the Nigerian Youth: Challenges at Home, Uncertainties Abroad’, Dabiri-Erewa said that while migration is legal and not new as witnessed during the time of Prophet Muhammad, she said many youths who migrated illegally and are deceived of better life face exploitation, discrimination and harsh living conditions in foreign lands only to return with harrowing tales of their experiences abroad.

The Minister of State, Youth Affairs, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom, in his keynote, urged the youths to be forward-looking and be solution providers, saying they should be involved in more research works.

Earlier, the National Amir (President) of The Companion, Engr Kamil Olalekan, in his welcome address, urged all government political office holders to be at the forefront of national patriotism by prioritising production and consumption of made in Nigeria goods and services to boost youth employment, empowerment and development.