Mr Casmir Irekamba, President, Unemployed Youth Association of Nigeria (UYAN), has called on multinationals and corporate organisations to fully utilise funds meant for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards youth empowerment in Nigeria.
Irekamba disclosed this on Wednesday to newsmen during the National Executive Council meeting organised by the group in Port Harcourt.
The group president also tasked government agencies and parastatals on youth development, saying that full implementation of CSR towards youth would assist the vulnerable unemployed youths in the country.
Irekamba said that over the years Nigerian youth have been denied their rights to enjoy benefits accruing from CSR especially by companies operating in the country.
According to him, UYAN will 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.
“If these companies set aside at least 3 per cent of their annual income to channel youth empowerment and development, it will drastically reduce the youth unemployment in Nigeria.
“These companies should endeavour to reach out to the Unemployed Youth Association of Nigeria.
“We are aware of some companies who are already committed to it, others doing partially, and there are some that are not doing it at all.
“MTN and other telecom players are doing their best through scholarships, empowerment schemes and youth empowerment at the grassroots,” he said.
Irekamba blamed youth unemployment on some government regulating agencies who have failed in the process of monitoring and evaluating how these companies operate, 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,”Irekamba stated.
The president of UYAN noted that time has come for Nigerian youths particularly the unemployed ones to come together and demand for their rights.
He noted that there was a need to declare a state of emergency on companies that have failed to carry out their corporate social responsibility over the years.
He, however, explained that UYAN was working tirelessly to create awareness on the youth to be patriotic, law-abiding and peaceful in their approach and activities.
“As part of the strategy, we are educating, creating awareness and public enlightenment programmes to sensitise the youth, more especially the unemployed through our structure in the 36 states in the country, and FCT.
“As unemployment remains high across the country and leading to migration to greener pastures popularly called “Japa”, it is highly imperative for the government to create wealth for youths through corporate social responsibility of companies,”he said.
Speaking on the current rate of unemployment and criminality among the youths, Irekamba said UYAN was out to ensure that the lives of the unemployed youth could be transformed and occupied positively to better the economy.
“UYAN will soon unveil initiatives that will help young people to achieve their career ambitions.
“This will be achieved by providing guidance, support, training and empowerment for them to have a competitive advantage to succeed in today’s work environment,”Irekamba said.
