The newly appointed Mandate Secretary for Youth Development, Abdullahi Suleiman Ango, alongside four Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, was sworn into office on Thursday, August 15, 2024, in a short ceremony presided over by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The minister, who charged the new appointees to work for the overall development of the FCT, said the appointments were part of promises made and fulfilled by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of his Renewed Hope Agenda.
He assured that the President would always fulfil his promises to residents of the FCT and appealed for patience, as conditions would soon improve for the better in the FCT and across the country.
Wike said that the decision to create a Secretariat for Youth Development and the appointment of its mandate secretary were not taken in isolation but the result of wide consultations with the area councils and other stakeholders following the clamour by youths in FCT for a youth development secretariat.
He therefore tasks the new secretary to initiate programmes to engage and uplift the youthful population in the FCT.
The Minister said: “When Mr President makes promises, he keeps to his words. That is why I always say that we should be patient. Yes, it may be difficult today but the President is working hard to alleviate the hardship in the land.
“Having appointed you as Mandate Secretary for Youths, you must sit down and come up with a programme that will help the youths.
“Sit down and think of what you will do to help the youths of Abuja. Mr President has fulfilled his part; it is now left for you to sit down and work with us to help the youths, to make them entrepreneurs, and to develop programmes to reduce the effects of hardship. If anything happens otherwise, you will be held responsible.”
Wike also charged the new permanent secretaries to work hard or resign if they could not meet the challenges of the office.
He said: “As for the new permanent secretaries, my interest is for you to be committed and work. If you know you don’t have the capacity to work, it’s better you resign now.”
The Minister, who said that the president has done his part to bring hope to civil servants of the FCTA by removing stagnation, said he would not tolerate any laxity.