Nigeria has no plans for it’s youths except during elections —Former minister, Dalung

A former minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung has lamented that governments at all levels in the country did not make any plans for its youth population.

He spoke during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, lamenting that there was no budget for youth development in the country’s budget.

According to the former minister, the only time government officials or politicians make plans for the youth population was during electioneering periods, and after that, they are relegated to the background.

Dalung lamented that at a time when he was minister he discovered that there was no allocation for youth development in the federal budget, adding, that he had to approach the president (Muhammadu Buhari) to have resources allocated for the purpose from another source.

“Nigeria not committed to the issue of youth development”

“Most of the youth platforms and organisations have been taken over by politicians. The youths are only relevant during elections and after that only few fortunate ones are appointed as PAs”, he said.

READ ALSO: Buhari’s former minister, Dalung, opens up, says they failed Nigerians

Speaking on the issue of a cabal in the cabinet of the president, Dalung noted that there are always cabals in every government.

The withdrawal of Maryam Shettima’s ministerial nomination showed that the cabal was still existed in the President Bola Tinubu government.

Dalung said the rejection of Mariam who is popularly called Shetty and replacing her with Mariya Mahmoud, means that the cabals were still controlling affairs in Aso Rock.

“Even now, there is a cabal in Tinubu’s government, and they will always exist. They are a group of ambitious people with different ambitions within the power base set to hijack power and protect their interests,” Dalung said.

“How would a ministerial nominee from Kano State find her name in the list and was told that she isn’t on the list upon confirmation?”, the Plateau State born politician queried.

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