The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has said that its permanent national secretariat would be ready in 18 months .
National President of NYCN, Mr Solomon Adodo, said this in Abuja on Friday at the inauguration of its national office, a rented apartment located near the popular Area 1 Shopping Complex.
Adodo said the council decided to occupy a rented apartment for now to have a place of convergence where issues concerning youth development would be deliberated upon pending the completion of its national secretariat.
He said the building, a five-storey structure to be known as the “Nigeria Youth House”, when completed, would be a multipurpose edifice with modern facilities.
“This development was achieved because of the peace we now have among our members; the NYCN is now a one united body with no more faction and this youth house is a testament to that.
“We have never had a structure like this since the history of the national youth council of Nigeria; this is just the beginning of great things to come.
“We will soon invite you to the formal commissioning of the Nigeria youth house owned by the National Youth Council of Nigeria.
“The prototype design is there and it will be completed in 18 months; it is a five-storey building and with a lot of facilities.
“We are going to trigger flashpoint of development everywhere in the nation.
“We will begin a step at a time and concentrate on the six geopolitical zones, and God willing, before the end of our tenure, we must have gone if not the whole 36 states, at least half the number,” Adodo said.
According to Adodo, the unveiling of the NYCN office on June 12, is deliberate to highlight the importance of the youth in the development of the nation.
He said that June 12, was symbolic as it reminded Nigerian youth of the need to join hands and struggle for the liberation of the country in spite of the “storm and despair”.
“Today is a symbolic day in the life of our country because we are all aware that the election adjudged to be the fairest and freest in the history of our nation held on June 12, 1993, never saw the light of the day.
“All hope is not lost in the midst of storm and despair; we can put ourselves together, assemble our potential and channel them into productivity.
“NYCN has always maintained that Nigerian youth have energies, and where we channel our energies determines the outcome.
“We cannot channel our energies to destructive purposes like terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping, cyber crimes and so on.
“We hope to assist the government at all levels in driving Nigeria to the frontline of development in the comity of nations.
“This will ensure rapid economic growth by bringing the potential of our youth to assist the president and state governors build a new Nigeria,” Adodo added.
