By ZAKAA LAZARUS, Abuja
Comrade Casmir Irekamba, President of unemployed youth association of nigeria, UYAN, has called multinationals, corporate organizations, government agencies and parastatals to fully utilize funds meant for corporate social responsibility towards youth empowerment and assist the vulnerable unemployed youths in Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen at the national executive council meeting of the organized unemployed youth held in port harcourt, rivers state capital. Comrade Irekamba said that over the years Nigerian youth have been denied their rights to enjoy benefits from the corporate social responsibility by companies operating in the country.
According to the organized unemployed youth president, unemployed youth association of nigeria, UYAN is to follow-up and persuade companies operating in the country to be more committed in carrying out their corporate social responsibility as stipulated in the laws of the land. Set aside at least 3% of their annual income to channel at youth empowerment and development to drastically reduce the youth unemployment in Nigeria.
“These companies should endeavour to reach out to unemployed youth association of nigeria, UYAN.
“We are aware of some companies who are already committed to it, others doing partially and there some that are not doing it at all. Like MTN and other telecom players are doing their best through scholarship, empowerment scheme and youth empowerment at the grassroots” he explained.
Comrade Irekamba blamed the government and other regulating agencies who have failed in the process of monitoring and evaluating how these companies operates, stating that some officials benefit from the scheme hence their silence.
“The issue of corporate social responsibility is compulsory for all companies operating in the country by law and our leaders are aware of this, however, they are silent.
Most of these companies have failed in this area, year in, year out, they don’t carry out their corporate social responsibility and those at the helm of affairs are doing nothing about it.
The President of UYAN noted that it is time for Nigerian youths particularly the unemployed come together and demand for their rights noting that there is need to declare a state of emergency on these companies that have failed to carry out their corporate social responsibility over the years.
He however explained, that UYAN is working tirelessly to create awareness on the youth to be patriotic, law abiding and remain peaceful in their approach and activities.
“As part of the strategy, we are educating, creating awareness and public enlightenment programmes to sensitized the youth more especially the unemployed through our structure in the 36 states in the country, and FCT, using our channels and presence to reach out to more unemployed youths.
As unemployment remains high across the country leading to migration to greener pastures popularly called “Japa”, Irekamba has said that support for government’s efforts in youth employment generation and wealth creation through corporate social responsibility of companies operating in Nigeria is highly imperative.
Speaking on the current rate of unemployment and criminality among young, the President of the unemployed youth association of nigeria, Irekamba said UYAN is out to see how the lives of the unemployed youth could be transformed and engaged in useful ventures that would keep them occupied positively and make their contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the economy.
According to him, UYAN will soon unveil initiatives that will be aimed at addressing challenges of unemployment facing the nation’s youths by helping them transition easily into paid employment or entrepreneurship.
He stated that the initiatives will developed to help young people to achieve their career ambitions by providing guidance, support, training and empowerment during they need to have as a competitive advantage to succeed in today’s work environment.
