Two billion youths unemployed worldwide-UN spokesperson

….Lagos population hits 22 million

Efforts to arrest the growing the worldwide youth unemployment rate which stands at two billion with increasing global challenges dominated discussion at a workshop for Sustainable journalists in Lagos Monday.

According to Director, United Nations Information Centre in Nigeria,Ronald Kayanja,the youth unemployment population account for a quarter of the world’s population put at eight billion.

Efforts to change the narrative towards creating a sustainable development initiative was subject of a discussion at a workshop organised for Training sustainable development journalists in Lagos Tuesday..

The UN chiefs information officer declaration came just as Lagos state,Africas fastest growing city is also battling with maintaining a sustainable development for its twenty million population.

This figure and it’s attendant challenges for a growing metropolis informs the state government Themes initiative aimed at,providing needed infrastructure like roads,s hooks education and better life.

This initiatives according to permanent secretary,Lagos state office of sustainable development Goals and Infrastructure,Mrs Abimbola George who spoke on Agenda 2034 and SDGs.
She revealed that Lagos state has been preoccupied with settling the issue of thousands of homes sho lost their jobs and means of survival as a result of the after effects of the COVID -19 pandemic.

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In this regard,George spoke of the state governments determination to implement the SDGs seventeen development goals and target towards making the state a better place to live.

Speaking on the Topic,What Is Sustainable Development, Kayanga,the UN information Director said that the growing development challenges worldwide informs the formation of the 2015-2034 sustainable agenda of the UN as emerging trends have shown that the world is at risk adding,”billions of people are living in poverty,gross inequality in countries of the world.

“We are poised to ensure Better lives in some of those countries”.

He also spoke of the environmental challenges posed to Forest depletion, violent extension of farmers displaced, efficient waste collection and efforts to manage Global Average Temperature for a better world.
He disclosed that at it’s present growing rate,Nigeria is going to be one of the most populous country in the world in the next 20 years.

Speaking on the topic Introducing Sustainability Journalism, Professor Lai Oso, Chairman,Media Awareness and Information for All Network, spoke of the need for media practitioners especially Sustainable journalists to ask probing questions and out policy makers to task on the need for execution of development projects that cater for the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.

According to Professor Oso,parents ,teachers and government has to be conscious of the fact that what they are teaching children of today must not only be relevant for now,but must meet their future needs adding,”as we are meeting our current needs we must be careful of the future”.

Professor Oso also spoke of the need for journalists to ask questions and highlight the economic sustainability of projects adding,”industries that are harmful to the people and the environment must be avoided if this is unsustatianble in the future.
He also task journalists not to be event dependent and go beyond the 5Ws of reportage and ask questions from several perspectives and not limited to only two as is customary adding,”there is always a third or fourth voice on issues”.
“We must ensure that policy makers develop project s that will not only meet the present generation without compromising future needs of upcoming generations.
“We must pay emphasis on solution journalism and also write about those good things that will benefit the people.”