By:Femi Mustapha
Stakeholders in Kaduna State are urging the government to leverage the state’s demographic dividend to drive sustainable development and economic growth.
The call was made during a two-day technical session aimed at developing advocacy strategies and tools for implementing the Kaduna State Demographic Dividend Roadmap.
Presenting a paper, Yusuf Isyaku Goje, Executive Director of the Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, highlighted the importance of investing in human capital, particularly among the youth, to spur economic productivity and growth. He cited statistics, including the fact that approximately 49% of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) have no formal education, and limited health insurance coverage at just 2.0%.
Goje emphasized the importance of stakeholders collaborating to realize this vision. He emphasized that the demographic dividend could transform the state’s youthful population into a productive force, driving economic growth and prosperity.
The roadmap is anchored on five thematic pillars: governance, economic empowerment, education, health and well-being, and security and justice. Each pillar includes specific objectives and strategies, such as enacting a state youth policy, promoting entrepreneurship development, improving access to education and healthcare, and strengthening the justice system.
Hon. Mukhtar Zubairu, Special Adviser on NGOs to the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, stated that the aim of the technical session is to develop advocacy strategies and tools to accelerate the implementation of the Kaduna State Demographic Dividend Roadmap. He assured participants that the Kaduna State government would align with the workshop’s outcomes.
Chanan Solomon, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Coordinator of the Lafiya Project, which is supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), who are the sponsors of the event expressed his organization’s pleasure in partnering with the Youth Advocacy Coalition on the Demographic Dividends Roadmap and the technical support provided by the Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation for the advancement of the youth in Kaduna State. He pledged his organization’s support for the initiative.
The Kaduna State government has committed to aligning with the outcomes of the workshop and ensuring the implementation of the roadmap. With the support of stakeholders, the state aims to harness its demographic dividend and drive sustainable development.
