The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Tinubu administration is poised to create 3 million jobs for Nigerian youths through the 3 Million Technical Talent (MTT) programme.
The minister said this on Monday in Abuja at the Nigeria Police Youth Summit themed “Enhancing the Nigerian Youth Value for National Security Intelligence.”
The minister, who was represented by the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndayuzu, said the 3MTT programme, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Technology, is an incubator for the training and skills required to enhance the capacity and value of youths in the national security services.
“The 3MTT Programme is an affirmation of President Tinubu’s vision of factoring youth development into the overall national development strategy. To lay a formidable framework towards achieving this, the administration is also prioritizing the economic security of Nigerian youths towards building a more secure and prosperous country,” he said.
Idris noted that the establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan (NEL) Fund, which currently provides loans and financial assistance to Nigerian students, is one of the notable initiatives under President Tinubu’s “New Hope” agenda aimed at significantly improving educational opportunities for young people.
The minister noted the high cost of transportation in the country and said the introduction of the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) policy by the President is aimed at reducing transportation costs by about 70% by utilizing domestic gas supplies.
Idris, therefore, urged the youths to adhere to government policies and seek them for personal comfort, economic growth and empowerment.
The minister also stressed that the youths must imbibe the morals and values necessary to play their expected role in the national security sector.
“Better still, the renaissance identified with the crucial national security intelligence role for our youths cannot come without the necessary value reorientation.
“The expected Nigeria’s Values Charter initiated by this administration, spearheaded by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), will serve as a blueprint for a national value system, defining us as Nigerians and strengthening our personalities and roles as citizens,” he said.
The minister, however, warned the youths about the impact of spreading fake news, disinformation, and misinformation on national security. He said this shameful act was a blatant abuse of the freedom of expression that the current government championed.
“Where much is given, much is expected. We must acknowledge that disinformation intersects with significant national security threats, including incitement over anarchy and instability, transnational crimes, terrorism, banditry and their financing, violent extremism, and malicious cyber activity,” he said.
